


Golden Light

by starrymeis (meiqis)



Series: Silver, Gold & Scarlet [2]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fighting, Historical Inaccuracy, I'm bad at tagging but if you read Scarlet Spring you might know what awaits you anyways, Jaehyun and his silk kink, King Arthur AU, M/M, Magical Realism, Smut, Sword Flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:20:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 29,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26999575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meiqis/pseuds/starrymeis
Summary: “Should I feel jealous?” Johnny asked, lips curling into one adorable smirk from where he stood at the door, watching the King’s affair change in a haste. “For you to prioritize Ten over me…”“Hm, no,” Jaehyun hummed, a content smile on his lips, and he messily slipped into his shoes on his way to the older. His arms found home on broad shoulders easily enough, and their lips met in an easy kiss, in two. “He’s happily taken, and so am I. Nothing to worry about, big one.”It hasn't been long since his life changed so drastically - no doubt for the better. Because being surrounded by his friends and having a person called home to return to every night, Jaehyun has no doubt his life is one he's happy to lead.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Series: Silver, Gold & Scarlet [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726642
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	Golden Light

**Author's Note:**

> With much delay but all the more heart poured into it, I present upon you the continuation of _Scarlet Spring_ for good! tadah!
> 
> You don't actually need to read the first part albeit there are a few scenes that might make more sense then, and some character backgrounds I didn't bother to explain here again as I already did so in the first part. Mostly, this is just a collection of headcanons I couldn't fit into the main story so I squeezed them and some additional filler scenes into here instead. 
> 
> Hopefully you can all enjoy and see you with the next part latest!
> 
> **trigger warnings** \- mentions of blood, bruises and wounds. explicit sexual content. drinking.  
> (in case I forgot anything, please tell me because it's waaay past midnight as I'm posting this and I think I forgot half the scenes I wrote - well!)

A petulant whine slipped from Jaehyun’s lips as the early morning sun caressed his face, stroked his cheeks with its unbearing warmth. His limbs still felt heavy, bruising he hadn’t paid attention to before aching now, and the softness of his sheets was all too alluring. This repetitive habit of his partner in bed was a hassle, it was everyday torture, and Jaehyun didn’t hesitate to pull the blanket over his head to hide himself from the world and Johnny.

The other really was something. More than a lover but less than a partner, not for a lack of wanting so. Jaehyun might as well be the queen in waiting, everyone knowing of their relationship they could easily officiate by the means of a wedding, only he didn’t want that. Years prior he had denied the crown that was his to have, the thought of the many rituals and ceremonies made his guts twist in upset and why would he want to go through all that when his standing was widely recognized anyways. A free pass to the King’s leniency, that was what he was.

If only the King were lenient with him, too. Instead, Johnny tugged at the blankets, meaning to rip them out of Jaehyun’s sleepwinded hands to wake the younger up. A daily play, it wouldn’t ever change. Not for as long as Jaehyun was in love with the silkiness of his sheets and Johnny an early bird. One day, this early bird will end up with a kick in the face. Already had, in fact, for trying to drag a very stubborn Jaehyun out of his beloved sheets. 

Once Johnny had also tried to change the fabric of their sheets and had held out a surprising three days throughout the younger whining that it wasn’t his beloved silk with its smoothness. The argument of having slept like the dead anyways had bothered the current sparring partner of the royal knights little. Eventually, the king had been forced to resign and gave up on his insistence, the sheets were silky soft once more, and Jaehyun kept being a whiny brat every morning again.

On this day, he was more prepared for the older’s stubbornness and, the moment Johnny reached for the blanket, he pushed forth one of his legs too hook around the taller. It ended with both of them tumbling around, rolling across the bed, just so Jaehyun could stay on top of his lover and misuse him as mattress replacement.

Regardless of the position, ignorant of the time at any given cuddle moment throughout the day, the fighter was certain there was no one made for better cuddles. With his size alone, Johnny made for a great big spoon, arms tight around the younger, keeping them close all throughout the night, until they were to wake up in that very same position again. On the other hand, for such a big human, the king could also be surprisingly small, curling up like a feline, fitting into the younger’s arms. Using Johnny’s broad chest as a pillow and listening to the steady heartbeat like a lullaby was more soothing than any tea Yuta could ever prepare.

All day long, Jaehyun could keep talking about this when, at the end of the day - or in the morning, in their current case - all that mattered was he got an additional round of cuddles. Legs tangled with each other and the blanket, he got himself comfortable, and was all the more close to dozing off as Johnny started combing fingers through his hair. Summer heat made the strands rougher to touch, dried out from standing outside for too long. Even his skin, it was a wonder he hadn’t gotten a tan yet, like Johnny always seemed to have with the warmth stored through winter into the next summer. Instead, he was suffering sunburn nearly on the daily, up to the extent the gardeners had already started working on some sort of roof. Not a sturdy one, to be kept all throughout the year, it was little more than poles rammed into the dried up earth, a net spun across and straw covering it to block off the worst of the heat. It was no perfect solution but it allowed him a short retreat every once in a while, when it got too intense.

“Your soldiers will get tired of waiting for you, princess,” the King started, ever thinking of others, of those belonging to his crown and reign. Jaehyun admired him for that because it was something he could not acquaint to. For all of his life, the people he had cared for had been less than he had fingers on his hand to count from, and albeit their population had grown onto him, he would make too cruel a king. It would break him, thinking merely of the worst of choices Johnny might have to make, and he loved his king all the more for the strength he possessed.

Maybe Jaehyun himself was not cut out to be king, and he never wanted to carry the burden of the crown for any longer than he had on that fateful day, he could still try his best to support Johnny. He would have done more, and he still tried his best, even when the best of his abilities had turned into a forbidden secret. 

Sometimes he wanted to break his beloved’s wish, looking at the blood he was spilling anyways, regardless of the ambivalence of his abilities. Spitting red in the court, soaking the sand at his feet, he wished he could do more despite knowing how limited his powers were, regardless of their influence. Just like his father, he couldn’t go around setting fire to dry bushes, and what this man had felt, he had understood only so late, after discovering the key to his father’s diaries. 

“Your soldiers,” the younger corrected, mumbling into Johnny’s shirt. That one was silk, too, and he felt all too familiar heat rush through him at the thought of it, the knowledge Johnny hadn’t put on more than this shirt just yet. This morning, it would be easy to do more but his thoughts must have been obvious.

Just the next moment, he found himself being thrown over, pushed away like a cheap woman, and it had him pouting. Cruel Johnny, cruel life. Now that he had finally gotten over his insomnia, he was treated like this, just because he was a morning grouch. Not all could aspire to be as great as their king, and Jaehyun most definitely didn’t intend to, either. One more reason he would have made one disastrous king, actually. 

“They’ll be happy about any minute I’m late,” Jaehyun still whined, thrashing around the sheets some more. Despite his longing for sleep, Johnny had effectively woken him up, and he was very determined to let his lover know how dissatisfied he was with this. Effectively, he was just pouting, looking at the older with accusing eyes.

Johnny didn’t seem to mind, merely repaid his efforts with a warm smile that had the younger’s heart beat like crazy. It had been a long time they were together already, long enough for all these symptoms to start dying down, yet they were still there. Accompanied by less pained longing maybe and replacing it with more and more warmth, but Jaehyun’s heart had yet to stop beating faster. “Come on, princess. We have to get you ready for the day.”

For one final effort, the fighter grunted prior to rolling out of bed, quite literally so, until he had hit the edge and could slide down onto his knees, lacking the energy to get up properly. Breakfast seemed dreadful, the walk to the small dining room, the officials scrutinizing their every move, surely wanting to bring up the topic of a heir again and there was only so much referencing to Jaemin Johnny could do. The king’s cousin was only five years younger, it was not nearly enough an outstanding difference in age to be acceptable as successor. What a funny problem to have, being stuck with the remaining two royals not even so much as bothering to look at women. 

Jaehyun had already suggested they could always just get a surrogate mother, keep her in isolation, whatever would be necessary for the sake of the heir everyone seemed to want so much. His arguments had been supported by one of their doctors, too, promising there’s ways without intercourse even, it might only take longer. So far, Johnny had turned it all down with various excuses, ranging from their still young age to children being supposed to be born out of love not necessity.

At that point, the younger had given up but thinking about it now, with his face buried in the sheets soaked with his king’s perfume, it had him all the more unwilling to move. “Can’t we breakfast in bed?” He muttered into the silken fabric because it was early in the morning and he was allowed to be whiny. If not at such vulnerable time, when else would he. 

“We can’t, princess. Get up now,” the older denied him, like every other morning too. Clothes were placed on the bed next to Jaehyun’s head, accompanied by little kisses darting along his exposed nape. The expanse of his skin was already marked up, lovebites and marks of varying age and intensity, it was jewelry he wore with pride. “Don’t leave Ten alone with these troublemakers for too long.”

The mention of Ten was sufficient to have Jaehyun perk up with interest, already fetching his clothes to exchange with the skimpy pants he wore to sleep. Less for his own preference but for the sake of their servants. Waking up to one screeching maid because of his undressed state had been sufficient to scar them both for quite a while. 

His companion in training and denounced from his standing as general for opposing acts, it had been merely by Jaehyun’s demand that the former official hadn’t been forced to leave their guards entirely. With the loss of title came a loss of activities and nowadays Ten was merely training their closest troops with him. Actually, it was more like Ten was training them, like dogs in a fight, the guards were pitched against each other or Jaehyun, again and again, forced to come up with new movements and strategies, and Jaehyun was but a punching bag. A quite active one, though, trained better in these arts than any of them. It also helped him to keep control, blur out this voice calling for him, his darkest desires. It was a good enough deal.

“Should I feel jealous?” Johnny asked, lips curling into one adorable smirk from where he stood at the door, watching the King’s affair change in a haste. “For you to prioritize Ten over me…”

“Hm, no,” Jaehyun hummed, a content smile on his lips, and he messily slipped into his shoes on his way to the older. His arms found home on broad shoulders easily enough, and their lips met in an easy kiss, in two. “He’s happily taken, and so am I. Nothing to worry about, big one.”

“What a blessed man.” The King’s smile was truly befitting a royal, bright, warm and soothing, making the younger melt a bit inside once again, and into the embrace alike. “Even when you can be quite the morning grouch, darling.”

“You kept me up all night. You only have yourself to blame.” Lightly, Jaehyun poked the taller above his heart, allowing his hand to trace along the muscles of Johnny’s chest, his shoulder, down his arm, until his fingers found their match. “Let’s get breakfast now and suffer the torture that is Doyoung’s nagging, shall we?”

“Hey, leave my advisor out of that! I’m not allowed to nitpick on Ten either, your excellency!” Despite his words, laughter was evident in Johnny’s voice, even if it might be the last of their joy for quite some hours now. Palace life was torture but, thinking of the sheets, Jaehyun thought it worthy anyways. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

With a huff Jaehyun fell down into the sand, warmed up from the afternoon sun that shone almost blindingly bright to the point not even the canopy of straw could block it out entirely. Each of them was only used to the heat of the sand by having been exposed to it for hours now, otherwise it would be the rawest form of torture to their mostly bare feet. Those same hours they had all spent exercising without a care, as if there wasn’t anything better to do and, at least for Jaehyun, there wasn’t anything better to do indeed. At least the soldiers had their patrols, shifts and duties, they didn’t spend every day on the training grounds, much unlike Ten or him.

Admittedly, sometimes he would opt out for an afternoon here, some hours there to invest time in his studies, in learning about strategy or magic, these lands that could have been his and if only so he wouldn’t be the fool by his King’s side whenever they had a more formal meeting or event. He hated it, the way these officials looked down at him as if he were stupid, as if he hadn’t ridded them of their former ruler for their better sake when those same ministers couldn’t even run a hundred yards without collapsing. If they had actually been in a state of war now, he would have thought twice about whether or not he would want to guard them, actually.

Cool water collided with his back and, for a moment, Jaehyun wasn’t certain whether to sigh in relief of shriek in surprise, the contrast against his warmed up and reddened skin too striking. But as he turned around, faced with Jeno’s mirthful expression, he didn’t hesitate in shooting up from his place on the ground to chase the younger around the field until he had eventually caught up, pulling the black haired into a headlock first. The force of it, though, had both of them stumbling and hitting the sand, rolling around, little grains stuck to his wet skin. 

Jeno’s laughter bubbled through the air and a few of the guards gave them a look. As much as they probably wished for it, Jaehyun couldn’t deny that he favored a certain three over the rest of the guards. An open secret, that was what it was and came down to, the fact that his friends got special treatment because of him and while it didn’t mean he allowed them more days off or easier tasks for those were their choice, it was all about the proximity between the lot of them. The things no soldier would dare doing, like spraying him with water, Jeno would gladly succumb to if only to get a rise out of their superior.

With the momentum of their fall, they rolled around another few moments until they eventually stopped, parting to lay on their backs as too much proximity seemed disgusting in such hot weather. Panting, because they both had not only ran like crazy but also come out of a spar just moments ago. It was enough to make Jaehyun laugh, the realization that some things truly would never change, their relationship wouldn’t change even if all their surrounding circumstances did.

With a heavy exhale, still stuttering from laughter, Jaehyun turned his head to look at the younger, cheeks flushed from heat and strain, eyes closed to block out the worst of the light. “How long has it been now? I feel like I can’t even remember our old home.”

“Three years?” Jeno guessed, roughly, because the high of the summer they experienced currently was vastly different to the flourishing spring they all had experienced when coming to the capital first. Three years and it was summer again, so much had changed since then but Jaehyun wouldn’t want to miss a bit of it. 

Three years of watching Jeno grow up and rise in rinks, starting from a trainee for the guards, skipping a handful processes with Jaehyun’s favor, and already having earned himself a posting in such little time. The second wasn’t far off, actually, much as Ten’s words could be trusted. It was the same for Mark, much as he could remember, although in a different squad, the older of the two boys had quickly caught up to all the missed out training and while it made the magician worried at times, about the growing man returning to a life that had priorly been abandoned, he also didn’t want to cross the younger’s better wishes.

“Can’t I just declare you my heir?” He suddenly whined, rolling around to get on his stomach and push himself up again, way less graceful then Jeno swinging up his legs to get into a reverse handstand. Youngsters and their means to show off. But being allowed to call the boy his successor would facilitate a lot of things, ignoring that Jeno and Jaemin were the same age and despite belonging to the royal lineage, the younger boy had been denied that role as well. It was a concern worth splitting your head apart for.

Warm eyes softened as they looked at him, the kid he had watched grown up all too familiar with this struggle of the couple, one Jeno most definitely didn’t have to go through with Mark. Orphaned as kids, they all hadn’t thought much about eve having their own kids before, not when surviving of your own had seemed more important than that. “You’ll find a solution, Jaehyun. Just give it some more time.”

A reasonable advice, and the mage would for sure enjoy it more if the people surrounding Johnny and him would also think that way. Not pressure them into doing more at a pace they were not comfortable with. 

Jaehyun’s lips pushed into a little pout as he made his way back to his resting place, already knowing what would expect him there was a little cursed man ready to throw him as a bone to the hungry dogs that were their soldiers. Sometimes he really wondered whether it was him in charge of their military personnel or Ten. A sigh escaped him, seeing the former general already about to throw some order at him in this commandeering way, as if he were still in charge. It would be more annoying if it didn’t work so well, he had always trained better if he was motivated to and told off, rather than having to get up his ass on his own. 

“Want to challenge me today?” He asked, before he could be paired with another of the soldiers that would treat this like a competition. Before, he had thought of himself to be highly competitive but these men… Even he felt impressed with their ambition.

“And get my ass beaten by the king’s consort?” Jeno teased, smile on his lips too easy-going to make his words seem malicious. Anyone else might consider it an honor to get thrown to the ground by Jaehyun, those outside their training groups, for they were almost all prone to just want to beat him. As Wendy liked to say, his winning streak couldn’t be broken by the title of royalty just yet. Before Ten could yell at his friend or a rejection was brought forth, Jeno waved his arm like an excited puppy would with its arm, and shouted, “Ten! I’ll cover!”

Despite the distance between them, the immortal frowned, eyebrows pulled together becoming all the more obvious as they approached. Regardless, there was no protest nor words of denial stopping them, silent acceptance to their declaration of a battle that, for sure, would turn into a spectacle. Too familiar with each other’s style after almost all of their life spent together, they had an advantage on each other unlike any of the guards ever could, making for a show so known even a foreign diplomat had requested to watch before. 

Undoubtedly, Jaehyun had an advantage on Jeno, actively using Bom or not, he was under her protection, could feel her powers affecting him, granting him the stamina the younger couldn’t beat. A double-edged sword, with as much as she was backing him up it also took that much longer to get it all out of his systems, to work his body down to the point he didn’t any longer think of winning alone the way she wanted him to. The irony of a twisted mind, the constant need to win as if victory had not been wrapped around his string of destiny the day he had pulled her out of that stone. She could be tiring, sometimes she was straining his patience, still, he didn’t want to miss her all the same.

Blinking against the sun, he took position a few feet away from Jeno who had turned into a dark figure backing the blinding light, features almost impossible to be discerned. The younger’s stance alone was enough to tell him that would be one strenuous brawl, Bom thrumming in excitement, vibrating the skin inked in black, the thought making him smile. It was the last thing he heard as Ten cut through the silence with a definite, “Winner is who gets five points first or leads by the time we finish. Get started.”

Five points, meaning five times of getting thrown to the ground without the means to get up. Just the kind of fun Jaehyun did hope for every day again, and his weapon could only agree.

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

“Johnny… No,” Jaehyun protested quietly, uncaring for his lover’s interest because he felt beat, was drained from training the day before, was still lured in by the silky softness of the sheets, and much as he could remember in his tired state, training had been called off for the day for whatever celebration. He hadn’t actually paid attention once he had heard about not having to stand up with the ass hours of dawn, the promise of sleeping in ever so alluring.

Similarly to him, as it seemed, the King, too, got to enjoy a late morning, but showed a clear interest in less lazy activities, much unlike Jaehyun who only whined more at the sensation of fingers dancing across his skin, playing along the lines of his abs and up, tracing the curve of his pecs. “Hyunnie, come on,” the older almost purred, low and tempting, seductive, intent displayed. If not those words, the same teasing fingers most definitely gave it all away, tracing around one of Jaehyun’s nipples, brushing over and gently twisting it.

Lowly humming, the fighter was about to just lay on his front, bury himself underneath all their blankets again but before he could do as much, he felt Johnny’s arm tighten around him, keeping him in place and pressed with his back to the taller’s chest. “Johnny,” he tried again, covering his eyes with an arm to block the bothersome light blearing through his eyelids, “Don’t wanna move… Leave me alone…”

“And jerk off on my own?” The older retorted, pout evident in his tone and much as it would suffice to change Jaehyun’s opinion normally, this morning was no such time. He really, honest to magic, did not want to move, wanted to relax his muscles and maybe take a prolonged bath, not swing his leg over Johnny’s lap to give him the ride of his life. But he had underestimated his lover’s willingness, the fingers unrelenting against his chest, as the older asked, “Then what if you don’t need to move at all, Jaehyun? Let me do all the loving, princess.”

Warm lips pressed wet against his neck, they were distracting the fighter’s mind, weighing off the suggestion in his mind for a moment. Johnny’s erection was hot and hard against his ass, pressed between his cheeks and one horrible addition to the teasing if the royal dared rut against his ass. Eventually, he made his decision, grumbling softly as he turned onto his front after all, guiding the older’s hand down to his hips all the same while to help him take off his pants. If he had been offered to not have to move at all already, he most definitely would take advantage of it, too. 

What he had not anticipated when hearing those words, though, had been the state he was in once Johnny actually started teasing him. Forget about oils and fingering, the way his beloved was licking into him, hips pulled up, resting on a pile of blankets he wasn’t allowed to rut into, had him mewling into his pillows embarrassingly loud. It felt like a reminder, his own lover telling him how well he could play at this act, and it was one deliciously mind-wrecking game.

Years spent together easily meant they knew each other inside out, their little pet peeves as well as their sensitive spots, that certain way of Johnny using the underside of his tongue to tease at the younger’s hole. It wasn’t a comfortable curl to the muscle but, heavens, it felt so good, better than the broad and rough upper side, it was slick and wet and soft. He loved it, loved this smooth sensation, he loved the way Johnny was silently telling him this was about taking care and being gentle, about breaking him down gradually, sensually, but not with force. Even if the force of their bodies colliding had been the reason they had been brought together in first place. 

They didn’t talk much at times like these, aside from Jaehyun barely able to form a coherent thought much less wanting to attempt to, there didn’t seem to be much to be said. It were rare occasions, those times they would be running their mouths at each other, trying to fluster the other more than anything else, prove their love and affection in ways their bodies did not support. His own mouth occupied pressed into the cushions as if he could suffocate himself like this along with all the noises that never failed embarrass him, Johnny’s lips pressed tight to his hole, kissing it with the same ambition as displayed during passionate lipslock.

His toes curled, feeling his King’s tongue dip past his loosened rim, circling his insides, reaching as deep as was possible. Wet and hot, curling into Jaehyun’s hole who felt his whole body quiver at the sensation. Getting him worked up like this wasn’t hard, not with how good Johnny was at that, not with how much he felt himself craving for physical love every other week, too used to his lover’s unending giving, too deprived of their everyday contact. Sensitive to Johnny’s every touch, every kiss, every stroke of that warm and wet tongue within him, preparing him, feeling so sweet yet not being enough. 

“J-john…” Jaehyun stuttered, words that could only be wondrously heard with how intimate he himself was getting with his pillow. Movements as rattled as his words, he moved back one hand, blindly reaching for the older’s soft tresses to bury his fingers into and pull at, trying to push Johnny closer, get more of that delicious sensation, or keep him in place as he would rut against that wonderfully handsome face. In return, he only received more of fingers pressing into his ass, curling around his hips tighter, holding him in place. 

It shouldn’t be fair, to allow someone to play him like this, like an instrument with its strings pulled, every stroke of Johnny’s tongue to his walls had him mewling, gasping and groaning, had his blunt nails scratching at his King’s scalp as he silently begged for more, for something. They could drag this out forever, Jaehyun knew as much, he had spent hours with his legs spread wide for his lover to tonguefuck him before, had suffered relentless pleasure, an onslaught to his senses. Too much, of this wet slickness, moist warmth, of no longer knowing whether Johnny's tongue had morphed to perfectly fit into his hole or his walls had accommodated so perfectly well to the fluid appendage. Too little stimulation, too little to drive him into a lust filled craze that would finally bring him sweet relief.

He was pleading, letting his body talk in ways he would never allow his mouth to, not willing to run his tongue to ask for mercy when mercy was something that seemed forbidden. Denied even at the height of pleasure, the peak he was still so far away from. This was an appetizer, a taste of all the pleasure he would be allowed to receive at Johnny's expense , a ride to the heavenly realms that couldn't possibly be cut short even if he did not participate actively. A compromise, Jaehyun knew he easily could be brought to a breaking point, teased until he couldn't take it, until he was too unwilling to wait for more and take action of his own. A competition, a challenge on the terms of sex, a game they could ever so easily lose each other in. 

But as much as he could be competitive he could be lazy, unwilling to do more than lie on his front as he allowed Johnny to wreck him with his tongue alone. Something his King was so very good at, ruining the beast guarding their kingdom as efficiently as he had brought this country to flourish again, taming a monster by such peculiar means. If only the other kingdoms would know, after hearing the stories of the man who had fought an army of his own, that this same man was brought to his bittersweet demise in quite such a unique method. But maybe they knew, perhaps they suspected it, depending on how knowledged they were about the story of Johnny's ascent. Not that it should matter much, most definitely at a moment as this, the rumors surrounding them as if not everyone were aware of his role as the King's consort, the unoccupied role of a queen that was his, a woman rejected on behalf of a man. 

It were details like these, the few small parts defining their life, that gave him a certain rush of power, those times of fucking his King with a crown, defile a man as powerful as Johnny, or those he was reminded of his own mighty position, of how he had kicked a noble lady out of this spot by claiming his very lover's heart. A surge of power, a rush of might, it overcame him even as he was so defenseless on his front, with the older keeping him in place, carefully driving him insane with how it was too little still, just slick warmth driving into him again and again, so slender and thin, teasing and prodding but never opening him up the way he wanted to be, was so used to when around his King like this. 

“Johnny… God-” He grunted, parting from the cushion just long enough to curse at his lover like this, fingers harsh as he dug them into said man’s scalp. With Bom’s support, he could kill a different a man, a person his heart was not attached to quite like this, and it was a thought as scary as it was thrilling. In that way, maybe, they were just the same, love to tear each other apart, be superior to a person winning them over with ease, be it power or influence, strength or might, it didn’t matter, a sword or a crown, they each had an advantage of their own. 

Against Jaehyun’s ass and that, truly, was not a comfortable sensation, Johnny snorted, asking, “When did I get promoted, darling?” Such an annoying question that was so much like the older as well, it had Jaehyun ready to retort if not for the wet drop that hit his ass just then, slick blob he recognized as saliva as it ran down his skin, trailing down until his perineum but he lost track of it then and there as he felt a single digit push past his rim instead. 

It wasn’t much, not yet, but a promise of more but, fuck, if it didn’t feel good, reaching deeper than Johnny’s tongue had, the slide smooth at first but becoming rough quickly, dragging along his inner walls. Beautifully long, his King had no trouble reaching Jaehyun’s sweet spot with his fingers, rubbing into the younger’s prostate to make him go mad, lose his mind to the sweet haze of pleasure. The contrast between the two sensations, between the dry finger reaching where saliva had not yet, seemed only to be amplified when Johnny once again brought his lips down, licking around his softly stretched rim. 

Aided by his digit, the older’s saliva reached deeper, pushed in time and time again, until it didn’t drag along his walls anymore. Jaehyun wasn’t sure whether he liked that slick movement more than the rough drag or not, he only knew that it was so very delightful, the kisses placed around his fluttering entrance, creating this deliciously wet sound upon contact, the gentle press into his sweet spot, the way he could just lay there and take it all, get served by their king who had so many servants of his own. Just like their love, Johnny’s eagerness to pleasure him never seemed to end, always strong, never running thin.

Patience could run thin, though, and Jaehyun’s most definitely did as he bucked his hips backwards, tried to get his King’s finger deeper into his ass, movement facilitated by the older no longer having two hands to keep him in place with such ease, albeit there was no ease to that when the fighter could cheat, could ask his bloodied partner for support. Johnny’s laughter was faint, more a nervous flutter of lips against his rim, a sentiment of amusement evidently entailed. Jaehyun didn’t bother to protest, not when he felt that single digit pull out, replaced by two rubbing against his entrance only to push in. Delicious stretch, it had him moan into his pillow, back arching fluidly so he could feel Johnny’s fingertips press into his prostate right then. 

“You’re so loose, princess.” Silent praise, the royal sighed it into his ass, and cut off any reply right then by running his fingers of the younger’s sweet spot. Mouth traveling down, kisses pressed onto the taunt skin of Jaehyun’s balls, he cut off any sort of protest effectively, silencing the fighter who’d have whined, would have pointed out it was Johnny’s fault alone, for always playing with him like this. It was possibly the thing the older was best at, slowly working all fight out of his lover, until he was pliant and giving, a mewling needy mess befitting regal wishes oh so well. “And so beautiful, too. Did I tell you before how much I love your pretty ass?”

Jaehyun’s possible answer broke into a moan, feeling the strain of Johnny’s spread fingers against his ass, tugging on his rim, opening him up further. It didn’t matter when both of them knew the answer to it, just how much Johnny liked to sing praise on his behalf, embarrassing the younger, bringing forth all of his flustered self, sides that were so carefully hidden from everyone else, a secret between them alone. All of them, each of these compliments, a well timed hit, taking advantage of moments of sensitivity to lure out the most honest and endearing of reactions only. 

Except to Johnny almost all of Jaehyun was endearing, and if it wasn’t endearing it was attractive, alluring, or fascinating - there was no trait about his lover he was not enchanted by, from these cute little noises released during sex to his most angry moment, filled with a spark that could under no circumstance be duplicated. Because his Jaehyun was the most unique, the only one in any situation, under all circumstances. 

“Johnny…” The fighter tried again, fingers clawing into black strands, his back arched at the same time as he pulled his King’s head up, closer to his twitching hole, a silent request so easy to understand, and Johnny was a kind ruler, generous in his willingness to fulfill his subject’s wishes. Fingers scissored further, needing just a bit more space, and already was Johnny’s tongue back inside him, so warm and wet and feeling entirely irresistible. Instantaneously a sigh escaped his lips, body faltering with how good it felt, with how good Johnny was at this. His love eating him out, it was one of the best things he knew, only second to being fucked, maybe third to being told  _ I love you _ . 

It was perfect like this, to not have to move yet get treated so well, feel the slow spread of fingers around Johnny’s tongue, bit by bit, until it turned into such a cozy fit, slick warmth filling him up so well, caressing his walls better than it had before, rubbing his walls, massaging along them until they were wet. He wasn’t sure which was better, to feel slicked up by Johnny’s spit or to know that his most loved face was glistening with it too, was only aware of how utterly  _ damp _ it was, so much saliva on his skin it was running down between his cheeks, dripping from his balls into the pile of blankets underneath his hips. At the pace the older was going, so messy and eager, there wouldn’t even be a need for their helpful bottle of oil, not when he was soaked and dripping, could feel it around his lover’s fingers too. 

Time was an impossible concept, didn’t matter when he was loved so well, nevertheless something still evident, could be traced by the sunlight streaming into their room, the angle of which had already changed. He wished he could see it, how it reflected off Johnny’s tan skin, glistening gold, it was always the most beautiful by the time his King had worked a sweat, those times of early morning sex, summer noons spent at the spring, evening training set in front of the sunset - he just loved it so much. Skin so beautiful, so different to his own sensitive one, there was no way he was not intrigued by it, up to the point he almost missed being able to see it now. Almost, because this was also good, not being able to see, to know what Johnny would do next, to get surprised by every little act that would fill him with cozy warmth. 

A surprised mewl escapes him, feeling a third finger nudge its way inside, spreading him further apart and pressing Johnny’s tongue up against his rim and walls, making the slide smooth as it slid further inside, pushed against his sweet spot to tease against. Up until the third knuckle, at that moment Jaehyun started missing the feeling of his lover’s mouth, wished it was pressed against his hole instead of kissing up his spine, every touch of lips and skin met by a little thrust of Johnny’s fingers into his ass until he no longer feels a hint of strain. It’s by the time those kisses met his nape does Jaehyun angle his head, silently asks for one on his lips he’s quick to be rewarded with, stealing not only his breath but the little whine he releases when his lover pulls his fingers out as well.

Compensation follows within moments, when he feels his King’s erection slide between his cheeks, precum mixing with spit, making him tremble with anticipation, thighs drained of strength by that bit more than a day’s worth of exercising. More than victory, more than the pleasant wine and fine silk, Jaehyun honestly thinks he’s the most addicted to Johnny and this, to feeling the tip of his dick pressing against his rim, sliding in so easily, stretching him more than all three fingers had done before. It was mind numbing and robbing him of all thoughts, only made him arch his back to feel more, revolting against the tight hold on his hips that kept him in place to fasten the process some more. 

Against his back, he could feel the light rumble that was Johnny’s laughter, gentle vibrations that should be disrupting, and it might be with anyone else, when he couldn’t be certain they were laughing about him because they regarded him behaving like this as stupid. Only to Jaehyun this was better, to know that his love could find joy in such intimate moment, was way above his younger years when sex had been a task and not filled with emotions, when it hadn’t been about being close to someone in body and mind alike. “Stupid King,” he mumbled, reached over his shoulder to grasp the older’s head and carefully caress along his nape, nails scratching against the warm skin lightly.

“Careful, princess. This could be understood as treason,” the other shot back, in between placing little kisses along the ruddy sunburnt skin, the very proof of training for hours in the sun, sensitive and aching but making every kiss that much more obvious.

“They wouldn’t da-” Jaehyun’s voice broke off, replaced by a loud moan as the air was punched out of his body with a single thrust, crazed need replaced with utter satisfaction, being connected again and so fucking  _ full _ of Johnny… He groaned and dropped his head back into the pillow, fingers tight around silky sheets and black hair, words pushed out of his mind so there could only be Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, and his heavenly love. 

The pace the royal set was slow, it was always slow when it was morning sex, languid soft movements that were all about feeling one another, the tender stretch, inviting warmth, their shared breath and hearts beating fast within their chest. Jaehyun could feel it, hear it, senses amplified in all the best ways to take in all of his lover at times spent so close. Little mewls escaped him, drowned out by the silk underneath his mouth, from how good it felt, how good  _ Johnny _ felt, and his heart beat faster by the time he felt damp fingers curl around his wrist, unfurling his digits clawed into the sheets so slippery fabric could be replaced by warm skin. Holding hands seemed like such a harmless thing to do, just holding on to someone, had been harmless to juvenile Jaehyun, but it was not anymore, holding the King’s hand was a gesture he had to earn himself, could only be little brushes of skin when they wouldn’t be seen, when his royal honor would not be defiled by worldly sins. 

It meant Jaehyun appreciated it more, at times like these, when he had Johnny between his legs and so eager for skin on skin, broad chest against his sore back, straining thighs against his own twitching legs, damp fingers between his own. The summer heat meant little like this, meant nothing, when the only heat he could feel was the one shared between their bodies, a bubble blown around them, engulfing and enveloping them. And the one simmering low in his guts, a steady build that would seem impossible to create under circumstances like these - who was he kidding, Ten or Donghyuck, they had already shaken their head at him for confessing this part of their private life, had called him a liar as their voices brimmed with laughter, declared it impossible to reach his high like this. As far as their opinion went, the pace had changed, he just hadn’t noticed, and he had been too flustered to refute and correct them.

Today, too, he wouldn’t do such, didn’t want to explain to his friends how he had spent his morning exactly when this little bubble around them prevailed, couldn’t be interrupted by the shouting reaching them through the open windows, couldn’t be disturbed by the ringing of the gongs that was so distinctly ceremonial, a festivity neither of them seemed to care about. This was their little time, moment of intimacy, not one of those that was about showing off, about leaving marks and declaring their positions, was about proving their heart to each other alone. 

“Love you,” Jaehyun whispered, faint and into his pillow, he couldn’t be certain he had been heard until he heard those same words repeated, breathed into his ear, sending heated trembles racing down his spine that didn’t die when those words were followed by warm kisses, tracing down his spine, over his shoulders, kissing his sensitively burnt skin. 

“Love you so much,” Johnny mumbled once again, a faint bite into the younger’s nape who only sighed in response, heart stuttering for a beat and another, stolen like all his thoughts, placed within those warm hands that always played with his hair to soothe him down as well. There his heart was safest, most secured from the dangers of the world, guarded and protected, he wouldn’t want to know it anywhere else. 

Like his pleasure it was slow, a soft drizzle of mind numbing lust, didn’t get one soaked as fast as a cloudburst would but it was enough, it was cozy, warm, was encompassed in all the little pecks and the gentle squeeze of his hand. All of it had Jaehyun melting, body going pliant under these soft thrusts and, one by one, filled the jar placed in the rain, droplet by droplet, bit by bit, until it was threatening to spill. The fuller the glass, the weaker his body, his energy focused on the points of contact alone, a state he wasn’t familiar with when it wasn’t with Johnny so he could enjoy it only now too. 

When it finally seemed to burst, befitting of being his other half, Johnny could tell, and Jaehyun could tell that Johnny could tell. Same throttled speed, slow thrusts, the only difference was a better aim, a changed angle, not just brushing against his most sensitive spot but meeting it with every push. A spike of sensitivity, again and again, until each of them felt like a sword thrust into his guts, not made of metal, not causing pain, it was concentrated pleasure, piercing him where it mattered most at this peculiar time. 

“Johnny…” He gasped, his last possible sound before his breath stopped - another thrust, and already he could feel wet warmth spread beneath his stomach from his high. Not the mind blowing, trembles inducing orgasm that would leave him a useless mess of piles for minutes, it was a warm bath, soothing ripples of lust washing over him, making his muscles go numb. Was prolonged with each of Johnny’s thrusts until he couldn’t take it no more, tapped out with his fingers weak against his lover’s nape until the older pulled out.

It was ironic, how much Jaehyun hated to do so on the field but how ready he was to do so in bed, hated this feeling of overstimulation, it was a bit too much, and when he wouldn’t even kick a man on the ground, he didn’t want to be pushed over his limits like this. He felt empty without Johnny buried inside, all consuming warmth gone, but he couldn’t help smile when he heard slick sounds, cuddled into his pillow more, calmed down and eased into a lazy drowse by his lover’s jerky moves. Not even the wet spurts over his lower back were enough to startle him, merely made him smile like an idiot, face buried in his cushion as he drowned in his cozy state. 

There were more movements around him, muffled sounds and moist fabric rubbing over his ass and back, big hands that rolled him onto his side to clean his front as well. “Hyun-ah,” Johnny purred, still rubbing along his skin in gentle strokes, “Are you going back to sleep?”

Quietly Jaehyun hummed, agreeing, he didn’t want to speak, didn’t want to move. He only wanted more of his King, more of his love and gentle touches, signaled as much with his hand reaching forth, grasping nothing more than air until there was a dip in the mattress, his lover next to him. Jaehyun immediately smiled, snuggled in closer to rest his head on Johnny’s chest, soothing scent, warm pines and rainy forests, it was too easy to doze off again. In this moment, to him, no other thing than Johnny mattered then. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

Before all of this, Jaehyun hadn’t ever thought to be someone who would meet a magic wielder, not to mention being friends with them but now, after weeks of having been surrounded by soldiers and bureaucratics only, he had started to miss his witcher friends more than he had realized. So the moment he had heard about Yukhei’s return the prior evening, he had already decided to ditch his morning training to instead drop into the bed in the infirmary, whining at his platinum blond friend that, “Hurts…”

“Good morning to you, too,” the younger greeted, more chirpy than Jaehyun ever could be at such time but the familiar low tune was comforting. It hadn’t been that long the young witcher had been gone for, bit more than a month to learn from a witch in the woods who had specialized in healing. Not an unusual trait, the fighter had been told, a lot of witches learnt from one another, especially those who had specialized in something but sometimes also from others, to venture into new areas, like Yuta had done with herbs and plants. Only the blood magician was an abnormality in those regards, a clear drift with what he could and couldn’t do - it all required blood, but depending on his amount of blood, there was almost no limit to what he could do. Only what he was allowed to…

“So, pretty boy,” Yukhei chirped, moving a stool over to sit down next to the bed, “What exactly is it that hurts?”

At this point, it would be easier to ask what does not hurt, the idea of which making Jaehyun wrinkle his nose. It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to it, getting bruises from getting thrown around all day long was just normal, all the more when almost the entirety of his life had consisted of such. In fact, it would be weirder if he had no wound at all, albeit that didn’t mean he enjoyed the sensation of all, a lament he wanted to save the younger from, so he simply reached around to pull up his shirt until he could pull it over his head, only his sleeves on his arms which he crossed under his arm. 

The healer made a little noise at the sight of it, skin burnt to the point of almost peeling off mixed with the sharp scratches the older had endured, after Ten hadn’t made them go through their usual fighting training but progressed with the more unusual parts. “A fitness test,” as the immortal had called it, consisting of miles of running and crossing a river swimming and climbing the cliffs behind their city with ropes. There, when two of the guards had broken into a little brawl over who had arrived first, when he had tried to intervene, he had been pushed against the stones. Naturally, they had apologized later, had been punished by Ten, but climbing up the cliffs and skittering back down again, he had pulled and stretched the skin so much the wounds had gotten irritated, swollen and itchy and earning him a scolding from his King, too, while cleaning it off sweat and dust. 

The slightest bit Jaehyun startled at the sudden touch on his back, fingers gently tracing along the abrasions and sunburn. “Your skin isn’t as sturdy as usual after all that sun,” the healer explained, pressing into the dyed flesh softly. “I’ll give you a salve for that. ‘m pretty sure a certain someone will take delight in applying it for you.” There was this obnoxious tone, the one Ten usually had when discussing Jaehyun’s private life, the one that went well with raised eyebrows and amused smirks. “Also one for these scratches before they infect… Didn’t anyone look over them for you?”

“Johnny did,” Jaehyun muttered, adjusted his position a bit so he could turn his head to the side, watch Yukhei more comfortably. “Which you probably knew… Don’t wanna get treated by healers unless they’re you, Yukhei.”

In return, the younger whistled for a moment, a light and teasing tone. “First the royal, now the healer? Are you trying to start a streak?” While talking, the young witcher moves around, wet splash and squelching noise as he prepares a wet towel to start washing the wounds with, something Jaehyun silently bears with even when the cloth is spread over his exposed skin to let his skin soak the moisture. “How’s it going with the big guy anyways? Any trouble in paradise yet?”

“You know how it is. Wake up together, do some exhausting stuff, go to bed together. Get talked into procuring a heir as if I were some cheap trickster cheating during mahjong. Just the normal stuff, I guess…” Whatever normal was supposed to be. As far as his life had progressed, he very much thought he hadn’t ever lead a normal life in first place. Not based on the standards of the capital or little farm villages, that was, but very normal for him, for at one point in his life the not so normal had simply become the norm. 

“You guess?” Yukhei repeated as he pulled the cloth away again, started to lightly rub the salve into the wounds. From texture and smell alone, there were two, one for the abrasions and one for his sunburn, a task the healer focused on intensely, conversation dying in the process of it, a detail Jaehyun didn’t exactly mind. “When you’re done, cover it again. Let the heat work and sweat it out before you rub it off. And since you’re a lazy bum, you only need to do so in the evening.” According to his words, Yukhei spread the cloth damp with clean water over the salves, prior leaning back on his stool, almost tumbling off. “Yuta will return soon.”

Jaehyun hummed lowly, a bit dull from the fabric so close to his mouth. “At the end of summer. He’s…. visiting - in that weird way of his, you know?” Projection, illusions. Lucid dreams to have while still awake. “Telling me about some of the stuff they experienced.” Fun little stories, or just new experiences, of new cultures and different places, foreign countries and across the seas. Like an afterthought, Jaehyun confesses, “I miss them…”

Yukhei, who had had his hands in the clean bowl of water, flicked the towel he had planned to use to dry them across the older’s thighs. “You miss them every summer, your highness,” the witcher corrected, and he wasn’t wrong. With how travels took the witchers out and about, when there were only three more of them surrounding Johnny’s court and Jaehyun, it was easy to miss either of them whenever they were gone. 

Before, Jaehyun hadn’t ever understood that sentiment - loneliness amidst a crowd of people. Regardless of sticking close with his friends mostly, there had always been a freedom of conversation, with the other members of the Academy, with some of the more regular clients at the tavern and Academy, or at least those whose whole masculinity was dependant on their win against another fighter. These blurred lines had become distinct in the recent years, his social circles grown the same way they had shrunk. Now it wasn’t just him and Mark, Jeno and Renjun, Yuta, Sicheng and Winwin anymore. Doubled and more, he had felt his heart grow with all those surrounding him. At the same time, there was no easy banter any more. No casual chatting with the knights in between sparring, no short banter with the stuck up counselors. Time and time, he had been proven again, these lines were valleys, from respect to terror, they were filled with many emotions, and they all came down to one thing - they were afraid of upset, be it Johnny’s or his, or both of theirs.

Naturally, Jaehyun had become more attached to his friends, and when he had time to, he tried to go out of his ways to meet them. He still liked his quiet afternoons at Donghyuck’s house, drifting back and forth on his garden swing, enjoyed the conversations lacking heat he could have with Doyoung or asking Taeil questions anyone else in court would deem him stupid for. But out of these, there was a certain sense of comfort he could only deprive from being with the other magic wielders, to know one’s abilities and limitations, all the things he could still learn from them. More than society could offer, the stories they had to tell, drawn from old age and experience, from having seen the impossible, entailed so much more. 

“I missed you too,” the blood magician pointed out, eyes warm as he watched the blond move about, yet his sight was a bit blurry, drowsy either from the salves or aroma, the gentle soothing being at the infirmary with Yukhei brought forth. “Kids did too. You should visit us at the training grounds by time.”

“And get taken down by your proteges?” The healer laughed, bellowing but bright, a sound Jaehyun really had missed more than he had thought. “I’ll try to make time soon. But only if Ten doesn’t come for me again.”

That, at least, had been a comical sight back then, half a giant like Yukhei being throwing around by almost a head smaller Ten with ease that shouldn’t be. The fighter could remember it well, the surprise that had marred some of the spectators’ faces, and he too might have felt the same at one point in time. It wasn’t impossible, posture wasn’t everything, or Renjun also wouldn’t have won fights against so many of their challengers back in the day. Nevertheless, the difference between Renjun and Ten was immeasurable, reaching an extent Jaehyun, too, wouldn’t have anticipated if he hadn’t fought the former general so many times before. Countless decades of training undoubtedly had that effect on people, and were it not for Bom’s protection, more than certainly he wouldn’t have made it out of more than half of these alive. 

With a tired chuckle, Jaehyun closed his eyes again, lulled in by the tender scent of roses. “I’ll protect you from him, you baby.” Even though it was ironic, the mere fact that Yukhei’s build would suggest having all the fighting spirit that was entailed within Ten’s body instead. A tendency so amplified by fate, in which one seemed to be pursued by death of all except his own and the other was granting life at the expanse of his own well-being. So contrary, and yet they meant a lot to him. 

Distantly, he could hear Yukhei reply with something, words he could no longer make out. Whatever the witcher had mixed into the roses, it sure worked well in pulling him in, under the surface, weight dragging him down under water, until his mind was fuzzy and vision gone black. Sleep that was peaceful, surely what he needed after straining his wounds. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

Rain, steadily falling, soaking through his clothes, dotting the ground in darker hues, would cloud his sight if not for the sun being bright enough to illuminate his surroundings, highlight the figure approaching him that was so easy to recognize past the wooden post he used for training. Kicking it at a certain angle, between the protruding sticks meant to regulate the height he was hitting, the average to aim for someone’s thigh, use enough force to break it at his best, until his own foot was red and swollen from the repetitive hits. It had bruised before, when he had hit so often and so hard he had cracked his own bones, but things that are broken are said to be stronger once repaired. At least he had learned, had perfected the angle to prevent his own injuries and marks, skin thick from the repetitive impact whose sound echoes around the empty field. 

“Care to join me for a round, my King?” Jaehyun teases from his spot, awaits Johnny arriving in front of him, about as bothered by the rain as the fighter but equally as prepared, finest silk and embroidered fabrics replaced with simple linen, basic tunics. A sight he hadn’t seen in long, presented to him only on rare occasions but attractive nonetheless. Right the opposite, because those same clothes meant there was the chance of a fight, testing his opposite, battle for dominance that always tilted this way or that. 

With his arms crossed and resting on top of the dummy, Johnny leaned forward, mischief in his eyes that sparkled with warmth. “I think you need to pay me an entrance fee first, my dear.” Licking his lips, the royal made obvious what it was he wanted, and who was Jaehyun to deny his love. He smiled, stepped closer to give the older what he wanted, a quick kiss on the lips that was followed by Johnny continuing, “You’re late. I thought Ten cancels training when it’s raining.”

“He does,” Jaehyun agreed, tilts his head sideways to sign Johnny where to go, to the open fields, away from the wooden figurines used for solo training or their trainees. “But rain never stopped a war from raging. Shouldn’t we both be aware of that, Johnny?”

After all, it had been a day of rain that had forged their fate, a day of rain that had settled their destiny and crafted one title of two. It could have been two, should have been two, but the heart was not obliged to obey what had been written in the stars before. His heart was not, for even fate was a lesser power when compared to love, and of that Jaehyun had plenty to give to the man he called his King. 

“With or without Bom today?” Johnny asks, stops at the edge of the field to take off his boots. The leather would surely suffer from getting soaked inside out, an awful waste of good material but Jaehyun did not comment on that. 

There was nothing but a silly smile spreading on his lips as he traced the tattoo on his arm, eyes locked on his opposite. “You think I can just make her stop?” He asks, amusement tainting his words and despite his own words, he angles his finger, scratches along his own skin to tear the skin. A bit is enough to lure her out, transform black ink into liquid metal dripping from his fingers and forming a sword. He can feel her refusal, the heavy thrumming of her blade, and he whispers a quick apology at the same time as he throws her up. 

Silver twirling through the air, cutting raindrops, reflecting the light. It was mesmerizing to Jaehyun who watched his weapon fly and adjust, tip pointing to the ground she pierced right after. Floundering about from the impact, the sparks she gave off as the water hit her body, reflecting sunlight, she was beautiful. The distance was meant to prevent her advantage but the steady thrum of her magic flowing through him, he could still feel it.

“Jaehyun,” Johnny called for him, eyes darting back to the royal whose muscles stood out, body line defined by soaked clothing sticking to his skin. “Don’t make me jealous of a  _ sword _ again.” There was lilting teasing but a hint of seriousness, not unfounded, she was protective, was jealous of Johnny in similar ways. “You want it dirty or nice?”

There was a remark on the tip of his tongue about how they never played nice which Jaehyun swallowed down, knew the context was a different one. The rules for a spar were not the same as for a real fight, there were dirty tricks, there was honor being sacrificed for victory, and no one would know if it were a situation of life and death. History was told by the victor, but this fight was one of honor regardless of outcome. There was a distinct difference in losing your honor to a stranger or sacrificing the same in front of your lover, the person that mattered most, most certainly for them who had nobody else. 

“Dirty,” Jaehyun purred, had never liked it otherwise, except, “Let’s not go for the face. I like yours as it is.” The sand was wet beneath his soles, toes curling into it so he could test its density. Faint but there, he could see Johnny’s approving nod, and it was all he needed to get moving.

Feet clawing into the ground, he spun around his own axis to aim his foot for Johnny’s head, a hit that was easily blocked by the older who grinned in response. “I thought you didn’t want to go for my face, Jaehyun.” There was an amused smile on the King’s face, mirrored on the younger one’s, and the position quick to be taken advantage of. 

Grabbing Jaehyun by the heel, he pulled him forth, stepped back, and the movement had the fighter stumbling, using the momentum of jumping to imitate his earlier movement in the air, twisting of his foot undoing Johnny’s hold albeit the older didn’t pass the chance of Jaehyun’s landing to aim for his feet. Sweeping across the floor, dragging through the wet sand, the royal had the fighter lose his footing, sending him down to the ground and following right after. It was a serious of holds, of Johnny trying to keep Jaehyun on his back and the younger retaliating by hooking his leg around the taller’s waist to throw him off. 

The one above usually held the advantage, but as much fun as it could be to roll over the field with his lover, it was straining. Ground holds were tiring, both on the active and passive side, so by the third time Jaehyun had Johnny off his back, he moved into a standing position, got some distance between them again. Sometimes it was unbelievable, that someone who trained as little was such efficient fighter, would put most of their knights to shame if properly pursuing this training. To Jaehyun, though, it was a thrill - Johnny who didn’t take training serious but very much so their fights, Johnny who wore the crown but was not above dirtying himself in the fields, Johnny who was one of the few to stand his ground while fighting with Jaehyun, who wasn’t intimidated by a sword that everyone else had to fear. Because the older had already seen the worst of it, had seen his own best friend stabbed by the weapon meant to relieve them all of the burden of dictatorship, had seen the bloodied trails decorating the palace grounds, had been at point blank of that same sword not only once. 

Regardless of that, they were still here, training for a fight that might never come again, relishing in the sensation of working a sweat in ways so similar and yet so different to what they knew. Bodies working in a rhythm and in tandem, hit and block, attack and guard, but this time there was no climax to achieve together, was a dirty fight of elbow hits and knee kicking, not the mutual consensus of wanting to drive each other insane. 

Just then, Jaehyun caught one of Johnny’s hits midair, holding onto the other’s arm as he shifts his weight, brings down his foot on the back of Johnny’s knee who, stubbornly, catches on to him, drags them both to the ground for another round of roughhousing. This time they have a different kind of momentum, tumbling about once, until the younger takes advantage of their position to straddle Johnny’s lap, feet hooked to clothed thighs, arms pressing down on the older’s chest, knowing it gives the other an advantage of using his hands. Which aren’t used for another attack immediately, one against Jaehyun’s waist, the other around his nape to pull him down, breath mingling, the space between their faces warming up.

“Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are like this?” The King asks, eyes bright but harder to make out with the sun starting to set, painting their surroundings a warm gold, orange and yellow glistening off the soaked sand, diminishing its dull brown. A few little words but enough to distract Jaehyun momentarily, caught off-guard the second Johnny uses his hold to guide his weight forward, thighs straining in an upwards move, and the fighter found himself tumbling forward, skittering across the soil, accompanied by the royal’s exhausted laughter. “I sure prefer you riding me when you’re not about to kick my ass, Jaehyun.”

There’s heat tainting said man’s ears, embarrassment hot in his neck as he looks at Johnny again, white linen almost sheer, lightening bronzen skin by a few hues, red from where he was hit, chest rising and falling in a heavy rhythm. Side-effect of training less than them, stamina was not enough to execute a full fight, and if one thing, Jaehyun was cruel in battle, didn’t want to have a half-assed victory, and his natural competitiveness was only amplified by his sword’s lust for blood. 

“Get up, Johnny,” he demanded, pushing himself onto his knees and then his feet, exhaling soundly. His spine cracked as he moved his arms a bit, loosening the tension in his muscles, shaking his hands, eyes hot on this beloved bodies that carried so many of his marks. These now were just another bout to add to the collection. “I’m not done with you.”

At that, Johnny laughs but, indeed, heaves himself up into a proper stance, feet spreading on the ground for balance, shaking out his arms before tightening his muscles as he got into proper positioning. “The last time you said that, you saw me wearing my-”

Before Johnny had finished, partly out of embarrassment, partly out of a competitive wish to cut this short, Jaehyun had already attacked again. A series of kicks he could see the other struggling to block for a while, unto the one he directed at the older’s waist. Arm hooked around his shin, he found himself falling again, crushing on his back with the royal slithering into the space between his legs, spreading his thighs until it was bordering uncomfortable regardless of his flexibility, it was an effective move to immobilize him whilst a series of hits was aimed at his chest and waist which Jaehyun had to redirect or block one after another. 

Eventually they lost on might, finally bearing a chance for the younger to roll them around again, his legs spread around Johnny’s form as he settled on his waist, up far enough to cut short the risk of getting kicked in his back and with his fingers tight around the older’s arms, pinning his elbows to the ground. “Will you ever give up?”

“You told me to get up!” Johnny called back, partly accusing and partly amused, hips bucking a bit but it had little effect, merely reminded Jaehyun of their position and all their points of contact. Underneath him, the royal’s body was heated up, surely as much as his own, the layer of wet on both their skin a mixture of sweat and rain that had him itching for a bath. He was spoilt, what with growing up so close to a public bath, was in love with the sensation of hot water washing away the tensions in his muscles. 

“You could have refused,” Jaehyun shot back, lightly wiggled his hips. Distantly he could feel Bom’s excitement, his blade eager to pierce Johnny’s body, feeling amplified surely by the need to share her owner, possessive magic, what with how she was bound to him, no one else allowed to use her, she was made for his hands alone. She, too, would be eager for a heir, someone to swing her around again after his death, to let her out from where she was trapped, and it was another burden to keep in mind, along with the ones that came with the crown he refused to carry. 

“I could never refuse you.” Words sweet and earnest, they left Johnny’s lips with ease even after all these years, had never lost their meaning because they were spoken from the heart again and again. And exactly for that reason, because they came from the heart, Jaehyun flustered, jumping up from holding down his lover’s body to go retrieve his blade.

He didn’t get far, not with Johnny catching his wrist and twirling him around, chest crashing into chest, it was pure instinct they avoided a clash of their faces. But it followed right after, when Johnny leaned in to capture Jaehyun’s lips for a slow kiss, tenderness not missing any of the heat that so often accompanied their intimate moments. Fighting did not only get him riled up, the display of power and its careful balance, being so close time and time again, there was something addicting to it, the same headrush as came with kissing and touching and spreading the heat between them. There were levels to it, was not just the raw aggression he felt with the knights, was a sensation entirely reserved to the man in his arms. 

Lips parting to welcome Johnny’s tongue into his mouth, he could sense the hammering heartbeat resembling his own, felt the heat radiating from his King’s body that was so similar to his as well. Minutes could have passed, he couldn’t tell how many, was only aware of the sun lowering to their sides, making him grin. “We should go. Before we have to stumble down the stairs in the dark, Johnny. And you shouldn’t ravish me like this in public either. What would your people think?”

“Don’t care,” Johnny grunted and yet, he let go of Jaehyun who went to pick up his blade. Bom melted in reverse, was not metal dripping downwards but slithering upwards, soaked up by pale skin, matted into black to take her former shape again. A simple tattoo, possibly harmless if one did not know what it was, what  _ she _ was. A tool of murder, relentless hunger for red, the scarlet rivers she was soaking up like the sand did with rain, and all the things most cruel were too beautiful, finely crafted blade she was, beautifully stunning man Jaehyun was. Sometimes Johnny was not certain how he managed to handle such ethereal sight. 

Over his shoulder, Jaehyun gave his King a warning look, cheeks dimpling with a gentle smile that broke into mischievous laughter as he dipped to collect the abandoned boots, no care for nothing in the world as he took off towards the tower hewn into the stone of the cliffs, the staircase leading downwards to the main parts of the palace. It was a provocation, unhidden, and age be damned, forsaken with maturity, as Johnny yelled after his beloved and set out for chase to get his hands on his boots and his love alike. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

Doyoung was quiet as he poured the tea into their respective cups, hand so carefully holding the lid in place, way more careful than Jaehyun would have been but he was already aware of the fact. Despite the time he had spent at the palace, he hadn’t ever grown quite used to all the customs and regulations, tried his best to cheat his way through official dinners and ceremonies by watching his King’s advisor carefully to copy or awaiting hints as to what he had to do next. It was a system that worked well for them, and the magician wasn’t too sure whether it had to do with the older’s focus slowly shifting, from advising the crown who was aided by Taeil too, or Jaehyun himself, who had every unspoken right to interfere and needed to attend some of the official business for his standing already. He was grateful towards the prior king’s advisor, for not being suspecting or mean and always lending him an ear, but he was intimidated just as much. 

Taeil was easier to read, was open in his intent and actions and still managed to pull a number on them by suggesting outstanding political options. There was something amiable about the man who had pulled him into the boat that started their joint journey, regardless, there was a distinct line. If it came down to it, Taeil would always side with Johnny, in quite the same way Yuta would always side with Jaehyun, but others, like Taeyong or Doyoung, they would always attempt covering the middle ground, would mediate rather than join forces, and it was an area Jaehyun found easier to navigate as well. 

“I didn’t come here without reason,” the older declared, as if it hadn’t already been obvious. If Doyoung took the short track to the Jeong manor, well aware that it was one of Jaehyun’s hideouts and also a place of studying to him, it was always with an agenda, one to reach the chase was cut short. “And I think you are aware of what I want.”

Without sound, the tea can was put down again, a movement that fascinated the witcher more than the man who held it. Only hearing the words made him release a breath loaded with relief, body sagging at the minor detail of no longer having to worry about what it could possibly be the other wanted. Albeit it wasn’t a topic he enjoyed, albeit he hated the continuous questioning, was bothered by that every morning again, by all the ministers not caring to shut up about the matter nor trying to coerce them into doing more, it was one he was familiar with, and one he could handle. Because, unknown to Doyoung or not, Jaehyun wasn’t opposed to the proposal, was only annoyed by their stubbornness.

“What about it?” He asked, cocking one eyebrow in interest as he took in the advisor or now. Unknowingly wanting to get away from the topic despite not shying away from the conversation, he leaned back onto his arms, fingers drumming down on the wooden floorboards rhythmically. It annoyed his guest, if the unsteady gaze was anything to go by. “You want to talk us into doing it again?”   
“Not you. Our King,” Doyoung corrected bluntly, not someone to sugar his words and it was a trait the witcher appreciated, didn’t enjoy a habit of talking around topics and procuring long speeches rather than getting to the point instantaneously. “I am aware that some of our members might appear… pressuring, myself included. Which is why I want to be frank with you, Jaehyun - we need an heir, and Johnny has to give us one. I am not demanding this to happen today but we’ll need one as soon as you can accomplish that, and we both know our King is too stubborn for his own good. So the only one to get what our nation demands is by having you on my side. Tell me now, Jaehyun, can such task be accomplished within the next three years?”

Jaehyun knew. He knew that much and more, knew there were a lot of options and none included him, couldn’t include him when he had denied the crown and was not of royal descent. His abilities, albeit strong, were not what the ministers desired because he did not hold a womb to carry a child, and his magic demanded a price. In case of wanting to bear their offspring, he was certain it would demand for his life. One for another, an equal exchange, and that was an exchange his beloved would never forgive him.

Thus this worry was Johnny’s to carry, who, in turn, so vehemently refused to show interest in the possibilities, for reasons Jaehyun could see but not understand, not when they each had their roles they were required to fulfill. In the case of a king, it included having to make sure their bloodline went on, without fail or worry, to ensure the continuity and prosperity of their kingdom which should not end up in foreign hands. A burden they had each been born with, a burden they all had to carry, and sometimes it was a force they were not meant to oppose, albeit Jaehyun had a feeling Johnny was trying to.

Carefully, taking his sweet time, the younger watched the advisor, took in the allegedly calm appearance but such front was betrayed by Doyoung keeping his cup raised for tiny sips, as if that would evade the demand to talk. “Does she have to be of noble descent?”

“Ideally,” the advisor answered, dark eyes that still traced down Jaehyun’s thrumming fingers, bothersome annoyance.

“So I have free reign over who the mother will be?” Because he hated the idea, he could understand Johnny having to have an heir but he did not enjoy the thought of the woman being just anyone, someone possibly snatching his lover out of his hands, blinded by greed. Whether it were tales or reality, he had heard once too often about overly ambitious women hoping to put their claim on a man for being his child, regardless of the father’s intent. And it was not a situation Jaehyun wanted to be subjected to.

Unusual for himself, Doyoung’s cup made a little clanking sound when it was put down and normally Jaehyun would have rejoiced over the fact he had managed to unsettle the older, but it was not the case this time around. It might not be regarding everyone’s wishes but it was a compromise, and they both were aware it was not born from ill intent. “If that is what you need to fulfill our demand, Jaehyun, then yes. You may choose whoever you want to carry our next king.”

“What if it isn’t a boy?” Jaehyun asks, tilting forward until he was able to rest his elbows on the table, looking at his guest with curious eyes.

“You will have to try again.”

This time around, the younger didn’t point out that it was unfair. He didn’t even think of it, the concept of a queen ruling of her own was foreign to him, he hadn’t heard of the same before and for someone who had slain a king, he thought to have done enough to disrupt the balance of a kingdom. It was not his place to shake them up further, so he could only release a considering hum. “What if I use magic?”

“That,” Doyoung answered with a lack of light in always closed off eyes, “is not my decision to make.”

Jaehyun smirked despite his own ears already burning hot, surely the red of his flush was peeking out between his strands of hair and exposing him. “Don’t be a prude now, Doyoung. You know your King and I are active,” he teased, enjoys to get a rise out of the older who responded silently, didn’t blink nor frown but picked up his cup again, lowering it right the moment after upon the realization that it was empty. To the witcher it was an experience, talking about his sex life when before he hadn’t had any of that sort, but around Taeyong or Ten, Yuta and Johnny, all who knew no shame, it was almost impossible not to get talking and learn to do so as well. That, and growing up next to a bathing house where such language was used on the daily.

“Are you making fun of me, witcher?” Doyoung questioned, sounding more stern than he was actually, always looking like a tougher nut to crack than he actually was, a lesson Jaehyun had grown to learn over time. To parts, it surely came with the job, with having to deal with foreign diplomats at times their King wasn’t free, having to keep track of their country’s well being to support their rightful ruler in his acts. Both of them, Taeil and Doyoung, the witcher couldn’t help respect for that same reason.

“Every day, every hour,” Jaehyun snorted in retort, not meaning to remain serious with the advisor when he was well aware they could be more entertaining as well. He smiled softly as he looked into his cup, despite his early morning complaints about his opposite, only heard by his King, he didn’t mind Doyoung quite that much, not when the same man had tried to bring his own history closer to him too. Stories heard from his old man, the successor had reminisced the Jeong stories for Jaehyun alone, and it was a deed the latter knew to honor well. 

He exhaled slowly, felt the movement of air tickle the tips of his hair that was already growing too long, was creeping closer to obscuring his sight, and whilst he knew Johnny liked it longer, said it fitted Jaehyun better, teased that he could yank it better, it was an inconvenience to Jaehyun for his daily life. Normally, if he were around his lover or one of his fellow knights, he would slack, let his body sag and avoid the strain of posture but around Doyoung he couldn’t do the same, simply arched his back as he watched over the older. Only silence didn’t sit well with him, had him tilt his head this way and that in an attempt to find a topic to talk about next. 

In the end, the one thing he came up with might as well be the most boring one his mind could conjure, too cluttered with fighting sequences and basics of magic to procure much more than, “Did you find a solution to that blocked trading route in the south?” Because there had been a problem, only he couldn’t remember it to the best of his abilities, a struggle he had needed to deal with on a few occasions already.

Doyoung only eyed him across the table, dark eyes contemplative, and the next moment black hair was swaying through the air with a shake of his head. “Who’s the woman you want to choose, Jaehyun? Isn’t that what you want to goad me with?”

In response, the younger lightly wrinkles his nose, well aware playing with open cards is better when involved with the advisor, and it’s awkward to confess to, feels embarrassing enough, and yet he does it. “Wendy.” Tilting his head to the side, he observes, waits for a reaction from the other, twitch of the eyebrow or downturn of the lips, except none of the likes takes place. 

There’s nothing but silence for a moment and then Doyoung asks, “Are you even aware of our trading routes in the south?”

This, exactly this, is the reason Jaehyun can’t stand his guest at all. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

There was always something outright enchanting about seeing Johnny in his royal gown, linen replaced with silk, empty spots adorned with luxurious gold, the warmth of honeyed skin taken over by the calculating gaze of a ruler. A sight like this, like the one he was currently presented with, sitting on the upper floor terrace of one of the buildings framing the little square at which official receptions and dinners in honour of whomever were held, now that he was watching his lover from above, always caused heat to pool low in Jaehyun’s guts. He didn’t like these official meetings, not at all, regardless of how great the food was and how good the wine, how attractive the sight of Johnny dressed like this, he much preferred beckoning one of the servant boys up to his upstairs hiding place to deliver him the same.

It was easier to handle like this, when he could listen in but no one expected him to answer, when he could watch without being reprimanded for staring, when he could imagine his King in the state he would be in later that night, all flushed and clouded eyes just for him. Distance makes the heart grow fond, but in Jaehyun’s case, it mostly meant he wasn’t annoyed to death by the ministers, officials, and noblemen trying to impress him or show off, sometimes going as far as being provocative to get a rise out of him too. And being less annoyed meant he could enjoy the sight without worries, could just indulge his own desire of staring at his lover in all his royal glory without having Doyoung glare at him meanly, or some highborn lady giving him the stinky eye because he had achieved what she was dreaming of still. 

Like this, hidden up above because all of them were only used to looking down at others, it was like he got the best out of these events without the downsides. Had the food and could hear their chatter, could drink while staring at his beloved, and he could dodge Doyoung’s judging gaze without any shame. Not that the advisor didn’t try, glancing up every once in a while, evidently displeased that their nation’s fighting beast was not among the honored guests. Jaehyun blamed that on Doyoung’s tendency to look at the whole picture, a contrast to Taeil focusing on the topics closer aligned to Johnny. They complemented each other, were similar to Johnny and him in a way too, one to be the crown that kept their folk together like the borders framing their lands, one that was the sword that kept others at bay, a threatening warning and piercing arm alike.

The yellow lampions started to swing in the evening light, and for them, with the festivities slowly dwindling down, it was a signal to end their reception. Johnny was the first to stand up, taking a deep bow towards his guest, a matter of courtesy that was intrinsically him and no obligation, and a short farewell. By the time his King was taking the first steps, Jaehyun also got up to catch up, meet his lover in the gardens so they could make the short way home together.

Silence resided heavily between them but it was not empty, it was charged, loaded with the knowledge of what would come next and that was something they both were so aware of. There was a routine to it, and Johnny didn’t point it out nor protest, silently followed after the younger, the heavy fabrics dragging noisily around the ground and making Jaehyun so awfully aware of the  _ luxury _ they entailed. Fabricated gold, spun and woven, every string would cost more than he could have earned in a year back at the Academy, and that was merely the silk. Were he a lesser man, the jewelry would cost as much as hid life, and yet, with the way it currently was, he was a worthier asset than most would expect, was deserving of a crown, was required by their country, and ultimately he was the same and yet so different to his beloved as well.

Without sound, the door gave way to their room, a servant up and about to enter with them when Johnny turned his head to look at the adolescent. “Leave. I won’t need your services tonight.” A tone that raced shivers down Jaehyun’s spine, who couldn’t help looking on, stared at his King being like this as he backwards made his way to the bed, sitting down on it comfortably.

Royal eyes were heavy when they resided on the fighter, whose only reply was to spread his legs, a silent invitation the older knew better than to decline, stepping closer until silk curtained feet hit the fabric draped over their bed. Gazes interwoven, the fighter couldn’t help look up, couldn’t help take in the absolutely mesmerizing sight of his lover dressed like that, golden adornment weighing heavy on soft brown strands. It was the circlet that was his favorite, the very proof of ruling, the crown he had fought for and still denied, the piece of jewelry he adored the most, raw beauty and refined arts, it was a piece too beautiful to be removed just like that.

“The finest man in the finest clothes,” the younger whispered lowly, fingers caressing along seams and embroidery, feeling hardened flesh underneath, the skin he desired to explore more than their country, was not his friends, was a tree to stay where his roots had dug their way through the soil, regardless of his soil now being human. Home wasn’t always a place, at times it was a person, and in their case it was a little place circled by gold, was built on bricks of responsibility and wooden planks made of wealth, was their destiny plated into tender leaves and poured into crimson rivers, embankment of entwined history acting as their frame. “To think you’re all mine…”

“All yours,” Johnny agreed with a low exhale, sinking to his knees at the lightest nudge of Jaehyun’s foot to its match. A move so readily executed, it felt like the whole scene was punching the air right of his lungs - the mightiest man of their lands so easily going down for him, it was so inherently different to normal when the visual was on track with the role, was a striking contrast between his lover Johnny and his unbeaten King. 

“All mine…” Jaehyun repeated softly, leaned forward so he could cup his fingers around Johnny’s face tenderly, sharp jaw fitting so perfectly in the crook of his palm, fingertips brushing dark hair, thumbs pressing into a plush bottom lip. Thundering lightings rushed through his body, churning his body inside out, he couldn’t help wanting this man, desiring his King, the man he had rejected so harshly in the beginning. No day since had he regretted having joined this journey leading him to the happiest point of his life, this time of absolute fulfillment, having found his other half. “A king on his knees for a commoner… Your ministers would tear me out of your arms if they knew what we’re up to right now, Johnny.”

“Wouldn’t let the-” Words that didn’t see their end for already were they held off by a demanding kiss, desires that might as well be poured into physical proof instead. Air charged by thundering clouds, the tension was released within a second, a flashing bolt of energy that illuminated the skies, but the stars they wanted to see were trapped within each other’s eyes only. 

Mouths trapped in a kiss, one hand kept in place, Jaehyun used the other to dance downwards Johnny’s body, fingertips tracing along whose throats he could feel his King shudder lightly, further still until he found the sash around the waist keeping the layers of silk in place. A beautiful cut, emphasizing his lover’s attributes so well, but the fighter prefered it like this, when fabric rustled as the layers brushed along one another, revealing lower layers and the string keeping bleu royal pants in place. After all these years he was familiar with the clothes, knew how to work them blindly and to undo them without looking, knew by heart what strings and knots he had to undo to get the result he desired, and most often that meant to get the other out of his lower garments.

It was exhilarating, it spurred him on to know the man who was his was so mighty, a man so many bowed to but who went down on his knees for him without protest. Jaehyun loved him, loved Johnny more than anyone and anything else, and it was a love he wasn’t against proving in the most intimate of ways. So he barely disconnected their kiss, heated breath mingling, dancing across his lips, making him anticipate what was to come next as he whispered, “Up.”

Orders he knew to give, he was allowed to bellow at soldiers despite carrying no rank of his own, the respect he had earned by beating countless of them with his own two hands. To see them follow his demand wasn’t nearly as thrilling as seeing his King move now, rising from his knees, fabric sliding down as it was abandoned on the ground. A routine they had grown used to, set in stone and etched into skin, a routine that had Johnny move without question to navigate around their bed and onto it, kneeling in the middle to be bent easily in whatever direction he was turned to. The royal didn’t remove his gowns nor crown, a sight so sinful, so beautiful, of bare skin and lush fabric, crafted gold and dusted pink, a sight so ethereal Jaehyun couldn’t help take it in to burn into his memories bit by bit.

Unlike Johnny, he wasn’t one of grand words, didn’t throw out praise after praise, sweet words and teasing insults. He was quiet, and Jaehyun was aware it sometimes set his lover off, to not know what might come next but it was a habit from fights, when one couldn’t just throw directs at their opponent, when it was about surprise and effect, to end a fight as quick as he could lest he’d burn his energies by battling one to get beaten by the rest. His lover was not his enemy, was not something to rival and challenge, regardless, there was no greater pleasure for Jaehyun than seeing his King so utterly broken down, wrecked, and delirious from pleasure and satisfaction alike rather than pain and bruises. 

Silent as he could be, Jaehyun slid behind Johnny on the bed, wrapped his arms around his lover to get his hands on bare skin, lips finding Johnny’s nape to latch onto, teeth dragging along protruding bones until he encountered a lower spot, where fabric normally covered the marks he left behind. His King wasn’t as sensitive, wasn’t as loud neither, but Jaehyun enjoyed it all the same, to hear hitching breaths and feel muscles shudder, loved that he was allowed to mark his lover as freely as he did. Come morning, there would be red crescents and purple bruises, would be thin scratches from the way he traced his nails down his partner’s front, squeezing at the flesh that was more giving than one might think. Sometimes there was softness in the firm, in the way silver looked so harsh but could be bent by hand, in trees being sturdy but holding sweet fruit, or the tender pliancy of Johnny’s strong body.

One hand moving to the silk clad back, and Jaehyun pushed forward, pressed down between his lover’s shoulder blades until such pretty face was hidden in the folds of the sheets, turning breathing difficult in the way they both so enjoyed. Only the crown stayed in place, fixated on top of raven locks where they belonged, and the fighter couldn’t help keep his eyes locked on there, on jittering tips and rustling leaves, directed his touch without sight as he pushed clothing up to reveal bare skin furthermore. Firm thighs so enticing to squeeze, but this time Jaehyun brought his hand down a bit more firmly, a sharp but light slap that resonated through their room and yet was not enough to drown out the older’s surprised gasp. How pleasing it would be to hear more, but that was something Jaehyun could take care of on his own, won’t need no playing around to drive his partner insane when that is a skill he had had so much time to hone. 

He only regrets not better having prepared for this situation when he has to abandon Johnny to find their treasured oil on a shelf, lid giving way with a pop as he pulled it open to pour some over his fingers, spread it between his digits before he had settled down again. Touch slick, he didn’t hesitate, didn’t tease, brushed his fingers down between his lover’s ass cheeks to reach the golden place between, could feel the muscle underneath his fingertips, and he didn’t hesitate. Ruthless as he was, pushing in two fingers at once, Jaehyun’s eyes still widened in surprise when Johnny’s rim gave way so easily for him, too loose for someone who hadn’t spread his legs in weeks, not when the royal libido always hit at such unfitting times, when the fighter was too beat or too lazy to move, could drown in the pleasure of being taken care of instead. 

“Fuck- Johnny, did you-?” The blue haired grunted, addicted to the feeling, of his fingers being sucked in deeper, an invitation, and he was so weak for it, was so weak for his King no matter his tough front. And when the older only grunted in response, it was all the confirmation Jaehyun needed, had the heat burn his body inside out to know his ever proud Johnny was doing these things for him, must have fingered himself in the morning in anticipation of what was to come, and there was hardly anything as arousing as mutual desire. He hadn’t understood it before, hadn’t comprehended the concept when his only times had been bought, had not  _ felt _ before he had met Johnny and grown addicted to whose touch. Yearning and love, two emotions so powerful on their own, they had truly reached new heights as they had been combined, and like shackles keeping him in place, they were cuffs he had willingly put on to stay with his other half. 

There was no reason to hold back now, not when the crown bearing man had already taken care of some of the prep, allowing Jaehyun to thrust his fingers in as harshly as he wanted to, crooked downwards at a familiar angle so he could punch the air out of Johnny’s lungs with every single thrust. Two, then three, until he could feel the familiar clench of muscles, rhythmic waves to suck his digits in deeper, feel more, and paired with twitching thighs it was more than a dead giveaway. Fights as merciless as their sex, Jaehyun didn’t waste another second on getting Johnny off, pulled his fingers out that were slick and warmed up, the air in the room felt cold in comparison and all too well he could imagine how the older must feel too. 

Clean hand wrapping around Johnny’s torso, he pulled his King up as much as the latter was able to bear with considering his trembling limbs, and pushed his hips forward, until his clothed and achingly hard cock was so perfectly nestled between slick cheeks. “You won’t come on anything but my cock tonight, my King,” Jaehyun teased softly, words that were whispered into the other’s ear which he bit lightly, placed kisses down Johnny’s neck in rhythm with the slow circling of his hips, miming the thrusts he knew so well from having felt them himself such countless times. 

It was interesting, how much Johnny got off being called by his title in bed, on these rare occasions they were like this, the double-edged sword of shared desire. Jaehyun who couldn’t hold back around his lover like this, dressed so luxuriously, wrecked so beautifully, and he loved every emphasis towards their position, loved to see the crown on dark hair, loved to call his King as such, loved to break up the bond shared between their hearts by enunciating their positions so much more. Victory was a drug, it granted wings that would crumble at too high altitude, too fragile to carry one’s weight for long, but the rise was addicting, and the beast was hooked on breaking down his beloved. Beat those higher and stronger, retain his top spot, and fabric so heavy, weighed down by gold, was a mark of his lower standing he had to tear down. 

Using kisses against the neck as means to distract his beloved, Jaehyun knew by guts how much time he had to pass, how long until he could pick up on his deeds again. It was a precarious incline, between too much arousal that brought one close to climax and too little to keep going on, when frustration overtook for not having received what had been desired. A line he knew to toe, as he waited until Johnny’s breath had calmed adequately, slick cockhead no long an angry red, and like a lever pulled, gates pulled apart, the water that was ruthlessness flowed in. No warning, no caution, as the fighter pushed Johnny down again, crown tumbling off and coming to reside in the sheets a few inches apart from sprawled out strands of hair.

At this point, when he was greedy, when the bloodthirst of his sword was turned into a swirling whirlpool for success, to win in ways so different, Jaehyun didn’t bother with much. His cock was leaking precum steadily, slicked from his own sort of lubrication, and because he felt the stickiness as he took off his pants, he didn’t bother with pouring more oil, smeared only the residue on his fingers onto his heated flesh. Quietus in one strike, pelvis meeting cheeks, he had buried the entirety of his length in the warmth of Johnny’s flesh, felt the pulsing heat, spasms that pulled him in, and the feeling too heavenly to resist.

Sex like this was different, was not like his King’s gruesome lovemaking nor the rushed pace of accumulated greed, Jaehyun liked to take his time as much as he could with his state of impatience. Moving one leg forward, placing it near Johnny’s elbow for better leverage, he started a comfortable pace of pulling out halfway and thrusting back inside without qualms, used his strength to rattle his lover’s body and maybe he would have succeeded to move their bed as well if not the wooden frame had been built into the elevated space, no feet that could scrape against the floor when the floor was a cage and no support. To him it was sufficient like this, to see his beloved be affected like this, muffled grunts and fingers clambering at the slippery fabric for a hold he could not gain.

Jaehyun loved it, loved the silk adorning Johnny’s figure, loved the silk that covered their bed, loved the smoothly sliding drag along, how it rustled and shone, tainted by their pleasure in utterly primitive ways. Loved the way Johnny’s body trembled just for him, the heat of strain dying skin red, contrasting the cold blue of royal gowns, and it had the fighter more eager than before, wanted to see more, feel more, crush more, in his infinite greed he was not certain was a blessing or a curse. It was a gift, a double-edged present from the Gods that kept his body moving, more power than a human should hold but he used it so well, not to slay armies and burn countries when he could simply destroy the kingdom trapped within his arms.

“Feels good, my King?” He grunted as he pulled on Johnny’s clothes, forced his lover to support himself on his hands rather than arms and he could see them trembling, no matter how strong and how powerful, it all was brought down by the might of love, and pleasure, too, was just another shape of that. Gods of the same, combining the two, mixing them with hate - it were all feelings, were stages they had passed, to reach this point, reach a new height together with their hearts entwined and shared. “Feels good to succumb to a beast within a human body?” Because no less did they call him and his sword thrived on it, the insults dressed like praise, Bom thrived on them, and Jaehyun loved to use them.

Muffled syllables, the fighter could barely so recognize them as curses, rolled off such golden tongue, and for Johnny to lose his calm was an accomplishment of its own. It spurred Jaehyun further on, whose pace picked up, thrusts turning rougher and harder, until the royal collapsed, weight heavy in the fabric that was tough to uphold, so the younger let go, let his beloved fall into the sheets again which they so artfully stained. 

Sounds growing louder at the rate their pleasure approached peak, under different circumstances the fighter would have pitied the fellow soldiers standing outside, the men he trained with who had to listen in on them, only had half a mind to whenever there were newbies joining them on the sandy grounds, flushing from the memory while the rest of them laughed. It drowned out everything else, the chirping of nightingales that would lull them to sleep, the creaking of the floorboard getting wrecked by their force, or the ripping of fabric as they moved too rushed. In Jaehyun’s ears only the slick sound of his thrusts remained, his lover singing songs of pleasure, loud gasps and low grunts that turned more and more breathless by the second they progressed.

His own thighs were burning from the strain, bittersweetly different from training, but the blue haired was determined not to give up, thrusted in faster and harder, angled his hips downwards to hit that sweet spot unto Johnny’s voice changed in bits, low grunts interlaced by higher gasps. A sound that was one of his favorites for sure, had Bom too soaring high, up and up, to the point they were hanging onto a thin string together. Letting go of his lover minutely, Jaehyun was quick to move his hand underneath, slide between tense and trembling thighs to grab Johnny’s cock, fingers tracing along its length, searching out the tip to dig his thumb into the steadily spilling slit.

Killer move, final blow unlike the ones he usually performed, there was no blood spilling but instead milky white as his King came with a suppressed shout. Rippling effects, like a stone hitting watery surface, and Johnny’s hole kept sucking him in, clenching and shuddering, and driving Jaehyun over the edge with a second’s delay. His own seed which he spilled, smeared along his lover’s inner walls as he rode out their shared climax, thrusts slowing and stilling so they could collapse to the side into a mess of limbs so tightly entwined. 

“Fuck…” Jaehyun whispered, breathless, as he took in how utterly exhausted his body felt right then, having spent all of his energies on that loving deed. “You have no idea how much I love you, my King…” He sighed, letting out his tension as he pressed his face into Johnny’s nape, inhaled the sound of rose and lilies that seemed to be so inherently  _ Johnny _ thanks to their scented baths.

The older released a choked off laugh, turning his face to be pressed into the pillows as well. “How come you only ever tell me after sex?” Teasing words, all bark but no bite, it was so very befitting of the royal who had sought for a beast to slay a demon without bothering to swing the sword of his own. 

Jaehyun only smiled as he nuzzled in deeper, hid his face in between silky strands of hair, softer even than his so beloved sheets. He didn’t reply, and neither did he need to when Johnny spoke up again to complain, “You know they’ll scold me again if we get cum on the gown, right?”

Tension broken, after-sex haze interrupted by their joking, Jaehyun moved only the slightest bits needed to help Johnny peel off the many layers of fabric in one go, carelessly throwing it away before he snuggled in close still. He didn’t miss out the other’s wiggling of hips that he rewarded with a little slap because, his cock so deeply nestled within his lover’s body, it was unbearable teasing. 

“‘s not my fault you look so heavenly in that,” the younger muttered, shifting only a bit so he could grab the blanket to pull over their bodies, not minding the stained sheets, not when they would be changed next day and they’d be ushered to the springs come morning. He was weak for it, for Johnny being the very embodiment of royalty, of luxury and wealth, all these things he hadn’t ever known before their first encounter -  _ could _ have known but fate wasn’t always as loving as that. “Love to bring you down to earth again,” he added on, which was a way nicer way of saying he loved  _ victory _ but those were two sides of the same coin, at least where Bom and him were concerned.

The grin on Johnny’s face was almost tangible as the older curled up, could appear surprisingly small for someone as tall. “You just love me for my silk.” Teasing words, they meant little when they knew of their shared heart, bickering that filled empty spots without pulling the grout between bricks. 

“I love you with and without silk,” Jaehyun denied, amused smile as he pressed a few kisses down Johnny’s nape. He was getting sleepy, late hour, exhausted body, and it must have reflected within his little pecks that came at a lower pace than usual. But it wasn’t like either of them would mind, not when they were so used to this, to having sex at night only to fall asleep, exhaustion of the day seeping out of their bodies. Falling asleep, it wouldn’t be unusual, not when they did all the time, and it was reassuring, the ease with which they could do the same, not embarrassed nor shy, a natural reaction just the way it should be. On the same level was their level of trust, the faith they had in each other, the strings that kept them connected, the red tied around their fingers, woven between their digits. Red that had him thinking, pieces of thoughts that he couldn’t put into a frame, a puzzle he’d have to leave completing to another day. Another day, when he wasn’t distracted by Johnny’s presence so well. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

Thinking back to it, Jaehyun hadn’t been out like this for a while now, feeling the echo of muscles shifting between his thighs, carrying his weight with such ease, but as he looked ahead and over Taeyong’s shownish hair, he couldn’t help smiling. “You remember the first time you took me out horse riding like this?”

Taeyong’s eyes widened comically, visible to the younger only because the witcher had thrown his head around, hand instinctively coming up to clutch around his stomach, protecting the space that had once been injured. Surprise changed to unhidden venom at the change in the air, at Bom radiating glee and joy, because she had been jealous like that since day one and then Taeyong had been the one to be faced with the brute of her force. 

“Don’t make me reconsider spending time together,” the older warned, albeit they were both aware it was an empty threat, considering that it had been Taeyong who had almost dragged him off the training fields to spend their time like this. Some curses had interlaced that moment, jabs directed at Ten who  _ didn’t train them riding properly _ , and now Taeyong was supposed to take care of it instead. Bickering like this, it became a rare but common occurrence on the fields, whenever the witcher considered Jaehyun to be overworked and Ten was not one to back down from a challenge. Everyone knew these threats were as empty as those directed at Jaehyun himself, for Ten could never bring himself to hurt Taeyong so long as they served the same purpose, and whilst Taeyong could easily turn the tables on someone like Ten, the payment would be too high.

Sometimes the memories haunted his dreams, and at first he had hated to be able to sleep so well when it had meant reliving so many times how he had hurt his own friend like this. In the end, it had been Bom herself, faulted with the injury and now forced to mend it over again, who had worked towards tiring out his mind when his body so clearly belonged to his King already. A difference she was aware of, a change in the air they could both sense, and Jaehyun was glad he had not found himself pointing a sword at his King another time. Heavens knew it would be a lot more incriminating nowadays, when they shared the same bed. 

Jaehyun huffed lowly, thighs straining as he stretched his legs in an attempt to look further ahead, seeing no more than dense green and lines of trees, telling him nothing of where they were headed exactly, and it might be embarrassing to admit, but there was little outside the capital he was familiar with. Regardless of all the pretty places Johnny had told him about, they couldn’t possibly leave behind the throne and crown, and despite knowing Yuta and Taeyong would know so many places to take him to, he did not feel befit of going along traversing such paths, not for responsibility but for his lack of might, the awareness of the amount of magic he could control being contained within his veins made him blind to the flow of the same surrounding him, the ones the white haired men were accustomed using well.

It hadn’t bothered him before, albeit one might think that being set free from the limitations that had been his hometown, he would crave to travel more, use his spread out wings to take off and leap into freedom to extents he had never known before. A wrong thought, for having spent so much time within such miniscule place without feeling the limitations of his own space, he was more than comfortable staying within this current town, so long as he had a place he could call home, somewhere to keep his body worn and mind busy, where his family welcomed him with open arms and warm hearts, he wasn’t certain he couldn’t make a home of everywhere. 

Taeyong belonged to his family, had so easily claimed a little nook within Jaehyun’s heart during their first months together, demanding a spot on the little pedal of people he’d trust with his life, and it made it all the easier to read the older now. “Where’re we going?” He asked into the crisp morning air, but the lack of response he received was as good as hearing one - he would not be told, unto the point they had arrived at whatever mysterious place the witcher had chosen, he would not be told about the same. 

Jaehyun tried not to let it bother him, albeit the lack of information drove him insane, for he wanted no more than know about their destination. Curiosity killed the cat, but he was invincible and even that was not enough to make him ignorant towards the emotion of defeat creeping up on him. It was exactly why he hated mind games like these as much… Bom’s abilities made him faster, stronger, more efficient in fight, but not even her powers were sufficient to make him read the minds of those surrounding him. More so, he was certain Yuta had mentioned in passing before it was a curse bestowed only on a few of their kind, one of the witches who suffered the same living in the woods so far away, distanced from people whose thoughts she might get privy to for abilities some might understand as a blessing could most easily turn into a curse as well. 

After that, he hadn’t tried to let his thoughts linger on the same topic again, similarly, it had made him aware of all the many things he lacked knowledge of, the depths of magic he knew to be supposed to be aware of, they had slipped his grasp. Lucid concepts, he couldn’t grasp it all, and training his powers was practical, mostly, not to mention rare. Blood was precious, and his magic was so easy, was submissive to his thoughts and words, guided by intent and meaning, and thus so much easier to take charge of as well. Thus his training had been effectively short, retained to a few hours to practice easy spells, but even less time had been spent on explaining the basic principles of magic he was not able to control, trying to explain how Taeyong and Yuta and Yukhei, how they all twisted the flows of magic surrounding them to fit the image of reality they craved to recreate. 

Ever so often, they would talk of abilities Jaehyun had never ever considered to before, so whenever he tried to protest and point out he was not able to comprehend, it seemed they did not recall him not being one of them. Sometimes it left him curious to decide, could not decide whether he should feel honored they had so easily accepted him as one of their own, or secluded from their rows for regardless of all he was still different than them. Albeit he tried to joke it had to do with his status of royalty and not their views of outside and inside control.

“Rumor has it you and Doyoung came to an agreement,” Taeyong eventually pointed out as silence seemed to have taken up too much space between them, and as if to protest the usage of such name, the white mare the witcher was riding, matching his color in hair, wheened in distaste. It had been another surprise to Jaehyun, months prior, during their many encounters, to see how much of a cat and mouse play these two could engage in, bickering that could not be stopped by Ten even, and that bemused the fighter all the more. Now, it seemed, it worked to his disadvantage, for the knowledge the advisor had kept was shared with such ease to a third party again. Albeit it shouldn’t surprise him all the same, not when their cycle was knit as tight as could possibly be. 

“He approached me,” Jaehyun agreed as he let loose of his reins, well aware that animals were in love with the magic wielder a bit too much, emphasizing but not out ruling instincts that were already a given. Horses followed another, more drawn to a herd than being distracted by the lack of commands. “And he allowed me to settle this matter at my own speed. Johnny is the problem, Taeyong, not me so-”

“Johnny is a problem?” Words he had used, thrown back at him with amusement, and the fighter jutted his lower lip out by instinct. As if sensing the change in mood, something that way more likely was related to the hawk sitting behind Taeyong’s back and watching over the younger human with curious eyes, Taeyong laughed, chortled snickers as he promised, “I won’t tell him - no worries, no worries! For as much as he’s trying to be a good king, he’s also unreasonably stubborn… As a child, he always said he wants to marry for love, that he’s against this whole political marriage.” Hawk turning his head in question, Taeyong shrugged his shoulders in defeat. “If no princess from a foreign country, he was supposed to marry his cousin originally. But we all know how that went down…”

Memories he much prefered to push aside as quick as they came, Jaehyun hummed lowly, tried to imagine a much smaller Johnny defying his uncle, insisting to find happiness on the path his heart had set instead of walking down lanes paved by other people’s decisions and words. An endearing image, a boy who had known what to want since young, but it was frustrating now that he was confronted with the same, when he was aware of the limitations their lives brought them and being aware they had been handed the tools to break down these same walls to continue on their way without hindrance again. 

Before he could mull over his own thoughts for too long, it was on Taeyong to pull him out of the same again, tender call for his name that Jaehyun heeded by taking the reins into his hands as the witcher set onto a small path on their side, leading down the cliffs parting their surrounding lands in two. Their trail didn’t take them much longer but the further they proceeded, the more distinct the sound of rushing water, humidity in the air that seemed less pressing than that in the hot springs he was familiar with. It was chilling, refreshing, and his interest was piqued as he followed Taeyong for a little while longer, through thinning trees and lessening green, until the space opened up, the heady rush of water claiming its rights on noisiness as it seemed almost overbearing at first.

“I thought you might want to get your blood circulating again after a while.” Voice steady despite getting off his mare, Taeyong smiled at Jaehyun, hand coming out to shush away his hawk before he took to lifting the saddle off his mare’s back to allow her relief as well. An example that Jaehyun was quick to follow, lifting sturdy leather to rub over the wet fur with some spare towel he liked to keep packed instead.

It was distracting, hearing the rushing water, seeing the nearby pools of water, and similarly he was aware that his mare deserved to be treated with the utmost care for it had been her to take him there. Only so soon as he was content with his caretaking, he peeled away from the amiable animal to turn to the water instead, not hesitating to pull his shirt over his head, letting his boots and trousers follow right after, thighs sore and chafed from lack of riding on his side. The cool water playing around his ankles, rising up his body with every step he waded further into the water until it played around the heated ruddy flesh.

A comfortable sigh left his lips when he had finally reached the deepest parts, river parting around the highest part of his hips, easily hiding the nudity he didn't care about. "You really know me too well," he called out towards the magician, for the amount of times he had been forced to wash up with warm water now was grating on his nerves, with no soothing word from Yukhei being sufficient to reassure him that bathing warm in this sort of weather was better for his body. Already now he could feel it too, how his veins cramped lightly within his body, tight from the chilled stream, temperature difference sufficient to leave any lesser man with sore muscles after prolonged time spent in here. It must have been just his luck he was blessed with a magical weapon keeping him alive and healthy instead. "This feels like heaven..."

Bom's displeasure towards such phrasing echoed through his body, meeting its match in Taeyong's indignant huff as the witcher shook his head. It didn't come as a surprise to Jaehyun that the older hadn't undressed, had only taken off his shoes and rolled up his pants to not wet them as he sat on a boulder framing the waters, feet dipped into the chilly cold, looking for a cool down of his own. Before, Taeyong hadn't been as shy to show his body, he had heard the same from Yuta and Ten as well, it was Jaehyun's fault in a way, his and age's, as the scar Bom had left behind could no longer be covered up. The years took their toll, magic had its price, and the one the witcher had to pay was a cosmetic one.

Splashing sound, Jaehyun had let himself fall back, diving under the surface for a few seconds, fingers ruffling up his hair to wash away some of the sweat haunting him day by day, had him missing the colder months when at least he could counter cold weather with heated exercises, but fighting heat with heat was a concept with limits he was pushing nonetheless. Air growing tight in his lungs, he was left with no option but to surface again, choosing a sitting position this time, forcing him to look up to catch a glimpse of his companion whose expression didn't surprise him. Highly focused, pupils blown and gaze distant, but the hawk circled the clearing in interest which wasn't such exactly, a guardian, someone to keep Taeyong safe and return him from the depths of magic in case danger were to approach, an alarm system Jaehyun would be glad to have as well for it would be his task to protect them in the unlikely case of danger or threat.

Staying in the water was relaxing, grounding his thoughts lest they be washed away by the stream, not flowing freely but kept in place like the pools belonging to this part of the river. It must be the same he had crossed swimming weeks ago, split into branches, flowing parting the city into royal and common, safety measure towards palace grounds, and he loathed the way it was a distinct line as much as he appreciated the way it kept them secluded, cut off from the public he didn't know to handle how nor face. He wasn't like Johnny, wasn't like Jaemin or Taeyong too, he knew he could be an asset for he grew up commonly but all the same he was not, secrets he hadn't confessed, parts of his past they had not unveiled, and too many who would have known no longer were.

Eyes fixated on white hair he had grown up around without questioning, adorning another person's head but feeling familiar all the same. Without confessing the same, he was certain his every friend was aware he was starting to miss, another grounding figure of his life, a recurring circle for as long as Yuta went on travels with Renjun to explore the world, albeit he was equally aware that those three werw taking turns for his sake alone, so long as they could they would provide him the guidance and support his father never could.

Without taking note of it, time passed just like that, staring at his friend, listening to the wind brushing through the thicket and water splashing down, until his senses tingled, Bom ever so much more aware of their surroundings than he ever could. It were a few smaller animals that made their way through bushes and falling branches to approach them, carrying berries and a few nuts in their mouths to deliver to them, a picnic one could not experience anywhere else, or in any different way. A meal so uniquely Taeyong, matching so sweetly with this naturalistic scenery, and to know the witcher had specifically gone out of his way to prepare all this for Jaehyun's sake warmed the latter's heart as well. It was a farewell present as much as it was a tender gesture, for after Yuta had returned it would not be long Taeyong would need to leave as well. Such was thw life he lead by now, and it didn't bother Jaehyun nearly as much as one might anticipate, not when he knew he was cared for so earnestly as well.

"Thank you," he whispered, even when he wasn't certain Taeyong had heard him being wired with all these animals still. The sentiment lingered, and this he hoped for his friend to perceive nonetheless. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

“Oh, shit…” Jaehyun grunted, feeling fingers skillfully rub into the sore spots of his nape, massaging out all the kinks there he had accumulated in the recent weeks, skin soft and slippery from water because, regardless about all his ill thinking of warm baths in warm weather, no such thing applied to this day. They had woken up to the sound of water prattling down outside, echoing through the windows and open doors, air chillier than it had been in a long time when the temperatures dropped with humidity and fast approaching autumn. So this morning, when Johnny had dragged his half asleep form out of bed to take along, he hadn’t protested as much, knowing the positive effects soaking up would have on his body again. And it did, worked into his aching muscles, herbal scents permeating the steamy air and his skin alike, filling his lungs and it would again later at night, when they turn in for sleep, when he’s snuggling up to his King and inhaling the same hues of emerald again.

Little circles kneaded into his tense muscles, interlaced with tender kisses, worked wonders on having the fighter going weak and pliant under Johnny’s touch, body slumping forward until he had to lean his chest against his own raised legs lest he’d topple over for good. Without the distraction of training and exercising, he was awfully aware of how sullen his muscles were with him, overworking not even Bom managed to counter at this point. Jaehyun had been quick to learn that invincibility had a lot to do with comprehension as well, because victory came with fights that were short-lived but long-time suffering and pain was nothing accompanied by honorability. Training he had endured for years with ease, he had near doubled it at this point, driven his body to endure to points he shouldn’t reach, and he was thankful for whenever he was reminded to take a step back, slow down his pace, for times he could just lean back and relax in his beloved’s hold. 

“Did you eat metal to be this stiff or what’s going on?” Johnny joked behind him, chin hooking over the younger’s shoulder whilst tender hands traced down, finding more sore spots further down Jaehyun’s back, tracing along his spine and the terse muscles there. 

Silver glistened beneath the water, reprimanding the royal to consider his words more carefully, and it was almost amusing to hear the older let out a disgruntled groan, for in the truest of senses there was metal within Jaehyun’s body, merged into his blood and amplifying the powers he naturally held. A useful memory call nonetheless, and Johnny sighed heavily before using his hands to sneak around the blood magician’s waist, pulling him back to chest, allowing them to rest for a bit in such relaxed state. More than sensual it was soothing now, to feel slender fingers trace along his muscles, had Jaehyun positively melting into the firm hold, had his heart beating more hurriedly until it had calmed down sufficiently not to have him feeling like experiencing a stroke next.

It was crazy, how much of an affect Johnny still managed to have on him after all this time, feelings not fading but growing by the day, and the more he got to know of his King the more he felt like falling all over again, albeit they had reached the point there was only so much left to discover about each other. To Jaehyun, every miniscule detail meant the world, heart dripping with affection for the older whose warmth he could feel against his back so reassuringly. Remaining like this alone had him forget all about his missing out on training and ditching Ten who hated to fight in the rain so much more than Jaehyun did. Growing up fighting in an open arena meant he had grown used to training under all sorts of conditions, a trait the immortal should have taken on after all that time on battlefields as well, and the fact that Ten hadn’t simply meant there was one more thing for the blood magician to make fun of.

Only his thoughts came to a screeching halt when fingers traced along the inside of his thighs, pulling his legs apart to rub along the chafed parts, where his pants had rubbed against the saddle in uncomfortable manners. A reminder of their first weeks together, when his legs had been equally as worked up, exposed to Johnny ever so often, and it must be why his touch felt so reverently, paying tribute to times long past, weeks spent more hectic than any other time since. 

“Did you see Yukhei yet?” The older pried carefully, fingers digging into the sore skin and making Jaehyun moan softly, head falling back, offering his throat for tender kisses that trailed down its expanse. Mixing light touches and subtle pain created a heady concoction, clouding the fighter’s mind bit by bit, the more he felt of this contrast between pressure and featherly lightness, headspace that would take him a while to get out of unless he found some distraction within time. An option Johnny had offered him of his own, mentioning their healer as if they didn’t all know that Jaehyun loathed going to doctors and whilst he tolerated the witcher more, he skipped out as often as he could regardless. It must have been just his luck that Taeyong had ratted him out, that Yukhei had delivered a tonic specifically to the fields, just for him, because they always treated him specially like this.

With a grunt, Jaehyun turned around, scrambling so he could reach over Johnny’s shoulder to the little tray placed on the ground, some cotton already prepared for appliance and all he’d need now would be to dab it into his skin. A task sounding so much easier than it actually was, for before he had realized, he found himself trapped by warm hands, curled around his hips, thumbs digging into his pelvis and rubbing little circles. Touch innocently, it wouldn’t affect him as much if he weren’t riled up already, plush lips pressed into his defined V-line making him gasp shallowly.

Eyes tracing down, it didn’t take long that Jaehyun could see the defiantly dark hues clouding his beloved’s, colored by desire and greed, traits a King shouldn’t have but very much a lover, and the awareness sent shivers racing down his spine. Reactions he couldn’t hide, it wouldn’t even matter with someone like Johnny being so good at sniffing stuff out, be it family secrets or Jaehyun’s heart, it was all put out for the older to explore. “You’re presenting yourself so prettily, princess,” the words soon followed, muttered into wet skin before one curious tongue darted out to lick some of the droplets away.

“Don’t-” Jaehyun tried, fingers curling around nothing as he tried to find some support for himself, but his words were so efficiently cut off when he felt wet warmth against the base of his twitching cock. Being within a hot spring, there was plenty of heat and humidity in the air, but nothing compared to the way Johnny kissed down the length of his manhood and up again, teeth digging into skin not as sensitive. As much would be bearable, his lover offering his lips to stretch around his cock wasn’t anything new, meant bittersweet pleasure, and he could have handled as much if not for the fingers coming down onto the inside of his thighs, slapping already sore skin into sensitivity and letting his knees buckle into slipping apart.

If not for Johnny’s arms around his limbs, he would have crashed down - instead, he was trapped, held close by the older and kept in his place. A vulnerable position, because like this his King could see his every bodily reaction, the hardening of his dick and flexing of his muscles, how he pulled in his stomach the moment his reddened skin was slapped once more. That it was the inside of his thigh, not just his backside, should make it more difficult for the older to reach the place, not to mention getting deterred by the water, but the force that hit his skin was just the same, never changing, ever so bittersweetly pleasing. 

Third coming right after, it had Jaehyun crumbling down, moaning as he arched his back and lowered himself onto his elbows at the same time, tip of his manhood grazing the water, so pleasantly warm and albeit the drop in temperature between liquid and steam wasn’t much, he felt it so distinctively on his sensitive flesh. “M’King-” He started, albeit he wasn’t sure whether to stop the other or not, and any of his thinking was covered by the royal instead who landed another slap against his inner thigh.

“Look at you, Jaehyun, so pretty just for me,” Johnny praised, ever so shamelessly running his mouth, uttering praises without a care in the world but, likely, the older didn’t need to care because who could possibly speak up against the crown while remaining unharmed? Jaehyun could, a few more could, but a position almost untouchable came along with freedom even in bed - or the baths, in case of wanting to be correct. 

Every syllable was uttered into wet skin with reverence, contrasting bittersweetly with the way a royal palm met his skin, bruising his flesh in shades of purple, blue and yellow rather than the already present red. And it drove Jaehyun insane, to know he was marked up, roused his long forgotten animalistic and primal instincts, to claim and to be claimed, to mark territory, and he took delight from knowing he was owned, that his King was his and he was his King’s. Moreso, feeling the sweet ache for days to come, it would remind him of their blissful hours, spent together so intimately, full of loving and possessiveness. 

All too soon Jaehyun lost track of the count of slaps he received, could feel nothing but the dull ache on his tender skin and the way his cock was achingly hard, something he might be embarrassed about with everyone else, to be as turned on by the pain that comes from these sensual little hits. But this is Johnny he’s with, the man who’ll manage to turn even a mock fight into a heady fight for dominance, so compared with that time the fighter came in his pants after having his lover’s thigh pressed against his crotch, grinding down onto his hard member, to be trapped like this in private seemed way less awkward. It was just their luck their servants and friends and about anyone else settled on the palace grounds knew better than to disrupt the royal couple during these times spent together.

“King… My King…” Jaehyun gasped out as he crumbled down further, waist resting uncomfortable against Johnny’s protruding shoulder bone, chest resting on the wet natural stone tiles framing the wooden lining. The worn down lithic rubbed uncomfortable against his nipples, teasing against the hard buds and adding just more to the stimulation that was already bordering on too much, regardless it was too little as well, not enough to make him come no matter how worked up he already felt.

A little plea but it was sufficient, for Johnny manhandled him with ease, pliant body coming to rest on his lover’s thighs, falling into an equally sturdy chest. The warmth of the water felt scalding against his bruised skin, making Jaehyun shiver and tremble with sensitivity that he had no outlet for. Like this, he could also feel the older’s equally as hard cock sliding against his own, the royal rutting up, looking for stimulation he had been denied of so far. It was easier now, to give in to desire and physical demand, and little helpless gasps and grunts left Jaehyun’s lips feeling one warm hand curl around both their members at once.

Feeling as broken down, nothing but a humble servant to his own pleasure, he could do little more than cling onto Johnny’s shoulders, breath fanning hotly against his lover’s neck whilst the latter worked them towards climax. Pressure just right, tight enough to make the fighter feel unable to escape and lose enough that he could jerkily move his own hips to add to the feelings, he was at his King’s mercy, a King who was nothing but a devoted man, serving their greed with such ease and dedication. Sensations that got him closer and closer to the edge, Jaehyun only felt like losing his mind when he felt nimble fingers move from his hips to his ass, kneading at his cheeks before sliding in between, rubbing little circles into his rim, leaving him breathless and waiting for more, before the same digits moved down instead.

The moment he felt the slightest push against his perineum, teasing his sweet spot from the outside, Jaehyun’s vision went fuzzily white, pleasure washing through him hotly, relieving his inside stress when the outside was taking care of by their bath. Spurts of cum dissolving in the water tracelessly, an amount he couldn’t even be aware of when there were no traces left behind except the toed lines of  _ too much _ . Toes curling, breath stolen from his lung, he felt entirely at Johnny’s mercy whose hand was still moving along their pressed together cocks, driving him easily into oversensitivity he didn’t have the strength to escape.

It felt like eternity and still too little time until the older finally found release as well, excruciating seconds of suffering the prolonged teasing which couldn’t have taken as long either way, for Jaehyun hadn’t even calmed his breathing by the time his flaccid member was released. At once, all remaining strength left him as he just collapsed, leaning his full weight against Johnny’s frame, inhaling his King’s natural scent mixed into the herbal steam clouding around them. So uniquely Johnny, it calmed him down with ease, made him almost drowsy after all the tension had been flushed out of his system. A detail much to his lover’s amusement, guessing by the faint vibrations he felt reverberating against his own chest, making Jaehyun swat weakly at the older’s neck which was about the only place he could reach without moving too much at the moment.

“I can’t await the weather turning cold seeing you like this,” the royal confessed huskily, fingers barely notable where they traced down the fighter’s spine, feeling muscled lines and spinal cords. “You always get so cuddly, Jaehyunnie, looking so endearing and sweet. It always makes me want to love you well.” Avowal so sweet, it was anything but, was admitting to mornings filled with bodies pressed together and chasing a high that the younger most often had no energy left for, nothing but a mess of trembling limbs in his King’s hold. It was just so simplistically Johnny, though, that Jaehyun didn’t have it in him to protest, could only lazily press a kiss to his lover’s neck while spluttering some curses. At least, much to his relief Johnny was as good at taking jabs as he was at taking them - when they came from Jaehyun’s mouth only, that was. 

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

Jaehyun sensed it before he received a herald's note, in a way it was as if his world had aligned rightfully along its axis again, unconscious awareness he had grown accustomed to throughout his youth. Growing up around a certain sense of magic, without being aware of it, had carefully started to feel like home, the way it was bent and mended so uniquely Yuta’s he could easily tell it apart. It wasn’t something he could possibly describe, it was simply so  _ different _ to how he perceived Taeyong’s or Yukhei’ magic, it was like coming home, intrinsically his past and now his future as well.

He hadn’t been aware of how used he was to Yuta’s surroundings until the first summer they spent apart, when something had felt indescribably off, and he hadn’t been able to put his finger on it until the witcher had returned to the palace grounds, had taken on his position as Jaehyun’s tutor all over again, position the same and yet so different. No longer was it about fighting, such was the position held by Ten, it was about recognizing magic, about letting him keep in touch with his own abilities which he couldn’t just use on the regular, albeit he sometimes wished to do the same.

Tingles crept along his skin, prickling sensation he recognized as Bom’s with ease, as he whipped his arm backwards before his head could keep up, seeing only a flash of Yuta’s figure distorted by his training staff, before it dissolved like a cloud of steam in the air, colors fading, giving room to empty air. One of the easiest things to do of all those he had experienced was to simply allow Bom to lead his movements, ends of his staff chasing after explosions of colorful magic popping up around him again and again, nothing more than illusions, tricks played on his eyes, tricks that trained his interactions with his sword better than most mock fights could. Omnipresent, she didn’t take many fights fo full, leaving him to act on his own more often than not, unless someone of more equal standing to his abilities showed up.

Magic, amongst a few, was a certain trigger for Bom to show herself more prominently, for magic was a more formidable foe than most humans ever could dream to be. Easily she made him break a sweat, chasing after these bursts of color at an increasing speed, until they resembled colorful stars obscuring his vision more than targets he had to hit, body aching from the strain that was keeping up with Yuta’s pranks but unable to free himself from the strings tied to his every limb by his own weapon, directing him like a puppet. When these same strings snapped all of a sudden, when the targets stopped appearing and were replaced by cheerful laughter instead, it had him stumbling to the side from the loop of strength his extremities were caught up in.

“You’re getting better,” the voice that had praised him all throughout his youth sounded from behind him, a vague guide for where Jaehyun had to go, approaching his old friend who caught him with ease into one warm embrace. Laughter sounded through his ear as he inhaled the crisp scent of magic surrounding Yuta’s frame, grounding him, aiding him out of his dizzy bewitched mental state just in time to see the massacre that was Jeno trying to tackle Renjun to the ground, likely for one cruelly tight hug. With familiar elegance the smaller man dodged at the last second, leaving Jeno staggering and trying to find balance.

Not that it stopped there, no, approaching from behind Mark tried to get a hold of the elusive boy next, but the foreigner simply ducked down under tan arms, even going as far as tripping the older over, sending him to eat sand swiftly. Watching had Jaehyun snorting in amusement, just in time to see Renjun’s expression soften, too, confronted with accusing gazes, not even trying to evade their next joined attack as they finally threw him to the ground, piling into one mess of limbs and affection. Like this, it was too obvious how much they had missed one another, a bond so tight not even distance could lessen it, and the fighter was happy to observe it, considered them to deserve something like this after all the stress he had put them through before.

“I had one great teacher,” the fighter eventually answered, his hold on the older growing a notch tighter as he tried to pull Yuta impossibly close, as if this could make up for all the weeks they had spent apart. Mocking him was the witcher’s snort, refuting his argument, and Jaehyun could almost anticipate the words of “I merely directed you, your friends taught you more than me” that never came. Instead, he felt himself carry more weight in his arms suddenly, one second to another, surprised gasp leaving the snow haired’s lips barely audible to the fighter but from his vantage point he could see how swiftly Renjun had freed himself from the weight of two overbearing men, looking at his travel partner in alarm.

Tension felt static for a moment, and Jaehyun would very much prefer to find out the cause of it, but before he could even as much as manage that, Renjun was darting forward. There were two things happening at once, as the foreigner managed to kick the lost crutch up fluidly, merely a split second before the thud of weight colliding with the ground reverberated. It was easier to pull away knowing Yuta had the additional support of his crutch, and curiosity won over the fighter who turned to take in the very scene already rousing attention.

Anyone who thought of smaller men being lesser fighters would regret their original thoughts right that moment at the fight broken out and presented to them, movements almost too fast to be taken in properly, as Renjun kept relentlessly pushing forward. It was a rare sight, to see Ten backed into a corner, but the moves used by the younger were vastly different from what they were used to around the kingdom, it had been one of the reasons the younger had been such precious asset to the Academy back then. An attraction, a sight to see, Renjun had often been special like this, and as unobtrusive as the foreign boy had behaved during daily tasks, he had been outstanding on the fields.

Interesting and fascinating to the point it had their surrounding soldiers hollering, Jaehyun could pinpoint the very second Ten had familiarised himself with Renjun’s pace and movements, marking the very shift in the rhythm of their exchange of blows. No longer was the former general pushed into a corner, instead he was charging forward, taking advantage of landing and jumping times to intercept movements before they could happen or connect, making their brawl less controlled and more rushed. The adolescent had managed what too many struggled with with ease, Jaehyun himself could count the amount of people who might be a challenge to Ten on his two hands, about as many as could rival him when he wasn’t under his aidee’s influence.

“I see his temper only got worse,” Jeno pointed out in the lull of conversations, having approached the duo silently, clinging his sweaty form to Jaehyun’s without hesitation, looking for a replacement for his affections now that Renjun was out of the equation, so awfully preoccupied. Normally, at this point, a fight should have already broken up, with one coming out as the winner, only Ten and Renjun were too stubborn for their own good to give it up for the other as easily.

Regardless of how busy Yuta was fawning over Mark for the moment, greeting the younger, it wasn’t enough to drown out Jaehyun’s words. “Maybe you’re not as good of an influence on him as you think,” he had barely managed to answer when the blunt end of the crutch came down on his calf, just an inch off target to send him crumbling to the ground, but the warning was obvious enough. 

“Don’t you want to step in, forsaken king?” The witcher asked instead, one eyebrow raised teasingly, belying the seriousness within dark eyes, worry interlaced with scrutiny and pride. A myriad of expression, all with their own reasoning, and Jaehyun didn’t need to be a genius to recognize the background to each of them - worry about his protege because Yuta had always been like this, scrutiny for having such ill temper, pride for seeing Renjun having grown into such a fine fighter that he could take on even someone like Ten. If it weren’t for Yuta asking, Jaehyun would have just let them fight it out, only denying his pillar of support would be a task too challenging.

Rolling his shoulders, he watched for another moment, trying to immerse himself into their fight in a different way, not to learn from it but to find the easiest moment to intercept now. It was a challenge, the two moving faster than most of the knights he was used to, and it had been too long since he had last challenged Ten as he realized now that he approached the twirling duo, eyes darting to keep track of their every movement. Figuring the right moment was a challenge but he considered to have found it the second he could see the shift in Renjun’s footing, toes directing outside, a movement barely visible to anyone not used to the efficient sense of balancing of the younger or lacking experience in proper fight. Ten had the latter, eyes glinting darkly as the former general prepared for a counter, one Jaehyun would need to block before it happened.

Stepping in, he allowed himself to take the brute of Renjun’s kick, pain bursting along his side, allowing him to wrap his arm around the slender limb, at the same time as he caught Ten’s arm with his free hand, turning and twisting until he had the older’s wrist pulled as high as whose neck, immobilizing their trainer swiftly. For a moment it was almost too silent, as even the soldiers surrounding them had become silent with the interruption, tension broken only as a stone was sent flying their way, scratching Ten’s nose only as Jaehyun pulled him back just in time. 

“Ya! You imbecile! Is that how to welcome someone home?” Yuta reprimanded, words harsh but tainted by amusement, not fearing the wrath of the smaller apparently. Naturally, someone with the witcher’s abilities wouldn’t need to be afraid of a single enemy, not when he could trap them in an illusion and peacefully go on with his ways before anyone had even realized. A master at veiling and covering up, illusions and mind foolery as his forte, the witcher was a formidable enemy most certainly. 

“It’s what you get for interrupting my training, you swine-” Ten started, quickly interrupted when Renjun sacrificed his standing position to pettily kick the immortal with his free leg. Movement so quick, Jaehyun wasn’t prepared for it, had to sacrifice his hold on the younger lest he get dragged down to the ground as well and Ten right along with them, because the petty exchange that would entail was not a thing to take delight in.

“Alright, children,” Yuta called out at the sight of such, and certainly, Renjun’s respect towards the witcher was of the same level as Jaehyun’s, meaning were it anyone else to address them with a request or reprimand, they would likely ignore it, give it a pass. But because it was Yuta, they heeded, a fact the snow haired must be so perfectly aware of himself, else he wouldn’t take advantage of it so evidently. “I’m beat from traveling so I’d much prefer a cup of tea - or whatever else you have to offer. But if you’d prefer to fight…”

Sentence trailing out, it was sufficient to stop at least the young deviant’s defiance, rolling around and pushing to his feet smoothly, permitting him to dust off his clothes. Ten wasn’t far behind, tearing his arm out of Jaehyun’s hold who, once he deemed the distance between the two safe enough, he finally faltered, hand clutching onto his side as he went back to his friends. “Shit… Not only his temper changed, his strength too,” the blood magician grunted, the blooming of bruises something he imagined to be palpable right at this moment, even the echo of his heartbeat was tangible at the hit spot.

Renjun, trapped by Jeno’s bulging arms once again, sent him a dirty look but, knowing the younger well enough, the blue haired didn’t worry about a second round quite as much. Rather, childishly, he stuck his tongue out at the foreigner who released something akin to a growl, a sound that wasn’t anywhere close to human, leaving the fighter befuddled, his sword tingling, and Yuta’s eyes glinting with mischief. Whatever was going on there, right in front of his eyes, Jaehyun would need to figure this out later, once they all had settled down again, with the two travelers feeling at home again, recovered from the strain of moving around.

A thought that served as a reminder, and he smiled faintly at his friends waiting for a verdict, indulging the memory for a moment, the old days they had spent together fighting and training day in, day out, eating and celebrating at the tavern every night. It was something he loved to re-experience, so he tilted his head to the side lightly, towards the staircase leading back down to the lower leveled palace grounds. “I’ll send someone to go fetch Wendy for us, if you want. So we can eat and drink together and-”

“Just like the old times?” Mark interrupts, eyes wide in astonishment, as if this weren’t almost a ritual for them already, and one of the few times they took advantage of their proximity to the crown actually, to get a day off for suffering such heavy hangover. It was something Jaehyun readily presented them with, glad about every bit of happiness they got to experience, even more so if it was at his expanse.

“Just like old times,” he agreed with a lenient smile, watching how the three younger ones took off - or, well, two took off, for Jeno had simply thrown Renjun over his shoulder as if the adolescent having fought so grimly seconds ago was nothing but a featherlight pillow to carry around. Turning his head, he only looked for Ten’s agreement quickly, for having two of his soldiers get off training early, as if they didn’t know that the same two would try to make up for their missed hours by coming earlier and leaving later in the upcoming weeks, until eventually the hours spent working would outweigh those spent elsewhere. Hardworking as always, it was something Jaehyun accepted simply for it made them happy as well.

The little delay, it was great enough to leave a little gap between Yuta and him, the older a slower walker thanks to the crutches, but it was something else that called for Jaehyun’s attention now. It had been a few weeks only, yet they had been taxing on the older, signs that could no longer be covered up, for the limp the witcher carried himself with had gotten worse. Not yet affecting both legs for certain, the starting point of it was evident, the littlest drag of the healthy leg, which made the fighter’s heart ache within his chest. What a striking contrast they were, the magic wielders who had to pay a price for every bit of power they used, life long but maybe too long if it was at the price magic cost, and Ten, who was envious of nothing more than the mortal life he had been robbed of.

▁⛥⌒*ﾟ.

The city spread out in front of him, it usually was a sight that was so awfully mesmerizing to him, the mixture of red tiled roofs and yellow swaying lanterns, illuminated by the moonlight shining down from above. Usually, but not this night, as it left him with a vague sense of guilt, as he was drastically aware of the responsibilities he was part of, towards this city, towards this country - responsibilities which he denied, not once but twice, and this evening he had been confronted with it once again. Now he was left with a bitter taste on his tongue that did not stem from his tea brewed for too long, albeit the flushing down with the bitter drink also didn’t help him.

A lot of things had rolled into motion ever since that fateful first encounter, or even before that, considering already his father had played a big role in how his current life turned out to be. Normally it didn’t bother him as much as it did this night, the many things they experienced together, mulling over the hard and the easy times they had passed together - his friends and him, Johnny and him, the  _ crown _ and him. It bothered him mostly because he was aware that there was something he wanted to do, craved for with his hole heart, and while it was something he knew was undoubtedly like him, he wasn’t too certain whether it was crossing the line as well.

Being this restless about his decisions wasn’t like him, nervousness that scrambled his guts, and to know exactly why it made him so nervous at exactly this moment didn’t help him as much as one might think. Just this time he wished for it to be unspecified anxiety, at least it wouldn’t mean his heart felt like bursting through his ribs and tearing out of his body the moment he felt arms carefully wrapping around him from behind, spread legs pressing against his sides from where his King was crouched down behind him. Sweet kisses planted along the expanse of his revealed nape, teeth digging into the thin skin lightly, working him up and distracting him from his busy mind all the same.

“You took off so unexpectedly, my love. Did something happen?” Johnny whispered, sweet question and sweet words, rivaling only the scent of sweet alcohol that was clouding around the older. It was the same alcohol Jaehyun had drunk earlier, the one he had tried to wash down with tea albeit that had failed spectacularly. The sweet wine he was not used to for he was way more used to the stronger stuff, to feeling his mind leave his body a few glasses in, at the point the kids were already knocked out for good. 

“Just thinking of something,” the younger mumbled, the cup held between his fingers replaced by one of Johnny’s hands instead, fingers so smooth and slender, not worked into callusing like his own. The tender skin along the palm, the wrinkles crossing it, the prominent lifeline, it was one of his favorites, to see the length of it, the prudence that the life his beloved would lead would be a long one, it was reassuring the more magically attuned senses within him, the premonition that soothed his anguished heart. Carefully and slowly he traced his thumb along it, the slightest tickling sensation that had Johnny’s finger twitching in his hold, hand curling slightly as if to protect such sensitive spot. “Jaemin made me want to do it, actually…”

Curiously he turned his head to look at the older behind him, cousin to the very adolescent he had managed just then, the pretty prince who had proposed to his now-betrothed just hours ago, the very reason for their generous spilling of wine, the reason why he was mulling over so much all at once currently. There was wonder written all over Johnny’s face before it faded to confused curiosity, head tilting the opposite way to Jaehyun’s, making looking at each other a bit easier despite their unfitting positioning, and the thoughts running through that pretty head were almost audible. Because there wasn’t much Jaemin had done this day, aside from the proposal earlier, and the realization of such must have overcome the royal at the same time sparks of hope showed up within dark eyes.

Instead of allowing them to turn this into another conversation, Jaehyun grabbed his tea cup and can in one hand, with the other he kept a tight hold on Johnny’s hand as he got up, window door pushed close with his feet as he led the other through the library slowly. Somewhere on the way he misplaced his drinking utensils, something the caretakers would reprimand him for certainly, if they ever managed to find out it was him that was. A thought he pushed to the back of his mind, eyes set on the bigger goal, and it was a metaphorical one as much as it was manifested reality which he was approaching at the moment.

In retrospect, he wasn’t certain Johnny had ever visited the Jeong estate quite like this, had passed it by from the outside, had picked up Jaehyun at the work room, but it was not where his steps led him as he crossed through the kitchen to reach the inner yard around which the housing was built. Curiosity was radiating off the royal in palpable waves, nervous tension that Jaehyun wished to relieve but he didn’t quite yet know how to achieve the same just yet. To him, it was easier to reach the place he had in mind, the little lithic brazier placed in the middle of the yard, so overgrown with greenery when he first found it he almost hadn’t recognized it, not until he had realized what the black smudges in the middle were actually remainders of. 

Given the context, that it was his late family’s house and fire had played such big role in the biggest of incantations Johnny had heard of, seemed to present the same with more riddles regarding Jaehyun’s plans, who stopped in front of it, the flames already crackling happily. Rare foresight, he had asked a servant to light the same for him earlier, on a whim, when he had come up with this idea, when he hadn’t even been certain whether this was something he wanted to go through with or not. Seeing the flames licking into air now, he was becoming more certain of his decision, of wanting to do this, set things right despite nothing being wrong in first place.

Letting go of his beloved’s hand, Jaehyun took the few steps to circle the brazier halfway, allowing him to look at the older illuminated by the orange glow, and for a moment he simply allowed himself to take in the beauty presented to him - warm eyes stretched outwards, high cheekbones ending in wide manly temples, a stern look that contrasted the almost endearingly shaped nose… Plush lips he liked to feel against his own, a thought that had heat creeping up his neck and burning around his ears, a familiar trait he wouldn’t ever be able to hide from his opposite, and by the way Johnny’s mouth curled into one lazy grin it seemed the royal was indeed aware of the thoughts hidden behind that stare once again.

“I know,” Jaehyun started carefully, gaze flickering down to the joyful flames instead of directing it at his King, knowing he would only get distracted then, he crossed his hands behind his back to meet the second requirement for his following words, “That I can’t give you all you want… And deserve. Heavens, you deserve a lot more than I’m able to give you, Johnny. I know you want to marry, you want me to carry the crown beside you, and that I denied you the same…” Metal cold against his palm reminded him of what he wanted to do, grounded him as he focused on the subtle thumping of what he liked to recognize as Bom’s heart beating within his heart. “I did not want the crown you offered me because- You know, I denied the crown before it was offered to you, and it felt wrong to accept it then. So I turned you down. And it feels wrong to propose to you when already you received my answer to that… So I wanted to propose to you in my way, actually.” 

Albeit he tried to appear confident, he knew it was a meager smile he had conjured upon his face as he eventually looked up again, to find out what Johnny was thinking based on expression. The older had sobered up considerably, it was what he noticed first, and Jaehyun was aware not little had to do with the bloody palm he was holding out awaitingly, droplets of scarlet swallowed by the flames beneath, orange slowly turning red, darker, deeper, resembling the color of his blood more and more, drop by drop. 

Finally, one shuddery inhale, eyes laden with meaning turning away from the magician’s wet palm to Jaehyun’s face, to ask the question that was to be expected, “What are you meaning to do exactly, my love?”

Nervously licking across his lips, Jaehyun hesitated just a second to answer, “A bloodbond. For us to stay together - this time, and each and every life that will follow. A swear on our future, a promise on blood, one that goes way further than a simple oath of marriage, my King. A pledge to stay with each other past the borders of life.”

As if agreeing, the fire flared up minutely, the highest point reaching the magician’s hand even, playing around it before it calmed down again. Half a promise that was already made, half a soul bared on a scale waiting for its counterpart, and just to give away to the older what it entailed, Jaehyun held out his sword, offered Bom to his King, the blade decorated with a thin layer of scarlet because it was his only way. A cursed weapon was nothing but dull and meaningless held by hands not of his blood, so since Johnny was not a wielder of his magic, his blood would be the sharpening tool on the blade Jaehyun was meant to wield. 

Hesitation and decisiveness both played within Johnny’s eyes, it were thoughts so easy to pry apart, was like putting on two different shoes to make a pair, hesitation that came from having to cut oneself, decisiveness borne from the knowledge what this sword entailed. Blood magic was unique in the way it could breach borders of common abilities, a spell he could repeat and finalize the day he died, by pushing the blade he was handing over through his own heart. A detail miniscule, meaningful, it tainted Johnny’s perception as well, made for their shared wish as silver cut honey, red oozing out lazily, not flowing as freely as one lured out by magic. 

As easily as she had appeared, Bom disappeared again the moment Jaehyun put a hand on her, melting into droplets running the opposite way from scarlet, melding with his body and blood, becoming one again, the way they had been destined to since so long ago. A spectacle drawing their attention, but the second Jaehyun felt complete again, felt the way her magic filled some void within him he hadn’t ever known before her, he reached forward, pressing his bloody palm into Johnny’s. Scarlet mixing with ruby, red on red, he felt the flames growing greedy again, sucking up the cocktail of life. “Say it, Johnny. Swear on it.”

“To this life and the next.” His King’s eyes were hot on his frame as they looked forward, gazes locking with the same ease as the hands hovering between them, connected by curled fingers and the whirl of magic tying together their lives and souls without any option of return. “I swear to find you, love you, stay with you. I swear to be your one and only until our souls vanish into nothingness, Jeong Jaehyun, my love. My heart is yours to be kept forever.”

A flare of heated red, higher than even before, pledge complete, shot up, curled around their hands, scalding and burning and Jaehyun held on tighter, preventing Johnny from pulling back before the flames had calmed down again. This time, as if this little blood was sufficient to suffocate them, they shrank and shrank, fading out, until only glowing embers remained. They offered no light, diminished bit by bit, leaving behind nothing but the crackling sparks of magic, perfume of burnt fate and meaningful ash. It didn’t matter, not at this very moment, not when he could feel his blood curling in delight, swirling through his blood with vigor amplified by magic, and he didn’t want to let go. Befitting their oath, a promise of staying together forever, he didn’t want to let go of Johnny now or ever, did simply take delight in entwining their fingers, feeling warm skin against his own, sensing the searing line of their wounds creating a cross between them that was like the sparkling of the stars in the sky which would thereon guide their ways into reuniting again and again, to share their love and lives again and again, knowing that time could not do them apart anymore. 

Never. 

**Author's Note:**

> My fullest gratitude to y'all who made it down here! Did you enjoy? did you have fun? I hope you did for sure!
> 
> If you have any thoughts, questions, ... left, you can leave a comment or send me a [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/starrymeis). For writing updates, follow me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/starrymeis). 
> 
> And if you managed to guess what the 3rd part will be about, I compliment you as well! There're actually a few easter eggs hidden too so if you find something noteworthy, I recommend trying to remember it because it might come back with the final part!
> 
> Thank you for reading and have a good week ahead!


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